Georgia April/May 2021

MARIST STAR LEAVES BEHIND QUITE A LEGACY AT MARIST, READIES FOR NEXT CHAPTER AT SYRACUSE Derek McDonald

BEAR TURNED BULLDOG Garrett “Bear” Madliak Carrollton

JAKE’S JOURNEY Jake Garcia

KEEPING THE LEGACY ALIVE

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ITG Next "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run."

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Marist Star Leaves Behind Quite A Legacy At Marist, Readies For Next Chapter At Syracuse Derek McDonald

Valwood Golfers Have Their Eye On The Big Prize in 2021

14

24

KEEPING THE LEGACY ALIVE Wheeler Boys Basketball

40

35

Milly Prince: Aiming To Be The Best Lowndes

66

Jake’s Journey Jake Garcia | University of Miami

BEAR TURNED BULLDOG Garrett “Bear” Madliak | Carrollton

8 | itgnext.com

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More: 19

Ashley Henderson: Thomas County Central Coach Ready for Team to Take Big Step in 2021

22

Ethan Little Shines Big With Lee Swim Team

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Banks 'Bama Bound Calhoun's Banks headed to Crimson Tide

Lee County Middle

Hagan Banks | Calhoun

39

Just Like Family: Brooks Hoopster Says His Teammates And Coach Are More Than Just Teammates Ja’Karius Jenkins | Brooks Co.

44

Double Trouble: Packer Two-Sport Star A Problem For Opponents in Baseball And Football Pershaun Fann | Colquitt Co.

48

Valdosta Middle School Standout Focuses Efforts on Baseball Cason Fletcher | Valdosta Middle

52

Moving On Up

Josh Crawford | Colquitt Co. + The Push for Instant Replay in High School Football

Player Profiles 13

Lemeke Brockington | Colquitt Co.

16

Samuel Simpson | Carrollton

23

Rashad Broadnax | Bainbridge

33

Kirin Webb | Crisp Co.

42

Eduardo Simon | Parkview

47

John Brown | Valdosta

55

Cali Conner Looks to Keep Digging at Santa Fe Tift Co.

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Jordan Curry | Worth Co.

57

Brantley County Rising Star is All Over the Field Kellon Middleton | Brantley County

60

Kristian Campbell | Walton

58

A Winning Culture

65

Tyler Franks | West Laurens

71

Ronnie Baker | Thomasville

84

Mario Clark | Fitzgerald

Parkview Baseball

63

Fresh(Man) Out The Gate

68

The Jack Of All Trades

70

Berrien County Punter Follows in His Fathers Foot(ball) Steps

Jordan Triplett | Frederica Academy

Arlis Sutton | Coffee

Hayden Futch | Berrien

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Fellowship Christian Baseball Standout Draws Inspiration From "Hammerin Hank" Aaron David Bishop | Fellowship Christian

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South Georgia Awards Show

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Southeast Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes +New Rules for GHSA Pitchers in COVID-19 Era ++Top 3 Uncommitted 2021 Basketball Recruits

ITG Next | 9

Our Team Contributors Publisher Mark Dykes Editors Phil Jones Graphics Mandy Douthit Cover Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Player Profile Photography Eric Vinson Dreaming Wild Photography Madison Tucker

Mark Dykes

Mandy Douthit

aNNA Limoges

Chief Executive Officer

Creative Director

director of operations

Founder Mark Dykes is the entrepreneur and mastermind behind the In the Game vision. Back in 2007, Mark set out to create a company that captured the passion, intensity, and unrivaled commitment toward high school athletics in the South Georgia area. Today, that vision has become a reality, and he continues to be the leading influence in what lies ahead for In the Game, despite his annual prediction that UGA will win the National Championship.

As a Pine Mountain, Georgia, native, Mandy’s move to Valdosta has brought enhanced artistry and intricacy to the ITG design team. The University of West Georgia alum graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in art with a concentration in graphic design. Her artistic nature has allowed her to use graphic design to win national and international design competitions, all of which are meant to serve as diversions and coping mechanisms for Alabama’s loss in the National Championship.

Anna became a member of the ITG Next team in 2016, serving as an intern for three semesters. After graduating from Valdosta State University in 2017, she remained with the team as an editor, devoting her editorial eye to the company for two years before becoming the Director of Operations. In her free time, Anna enjoys reading and writing. More importantly, although she claims to be a fan of the New Orleans Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.

Andrew Pipkin Account Executive

Brandon McMillon Account Executive

Phil Jones

Born and raised in South Georgia, Andrew attended Valdosta State University where he obtained a degree in marketing and business. He is passionate about sports, especially high school football (Go Cats!). Andrew’s focus is to develop and cultivate relationships with businesses all around South Georgia. Like so many other Georgia Bulldogs fans, his hopes of a national championship increase every year, but in the end they are just long lost dreams.

Raised in small town Quitman, Georgia, Brandon has always wanted to be involved in the community. Staying close to home, Brandon graduated from Valdosta State University with a degree in international business. He is passionate about sports, with his favorite being high school and college football. Brandon bleeds the red and black as he is a Georgia Bulldog fanatic, always believing next year will be the year for a championship. Most hated day of the year: February 26.

Phil Jones is a native of South Georgia and calls Valdosta home. He is a 19-year veteran of the newspaper business, during which time he served as chairman of the Georgia Press Association’s Sales and Marketing Committee. He was also recognized as the state’s top newspaper circulation and sales director in 2002. Phil has worked in the radio industry for the last 12 years as host of The Afternoon Sports Drive, a daily sports show devoted mostly to high school football and other local sports.

Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Brandon Pham Eric Vinson Dreaming Wild Photography Feature Writers Phil Jones Gerald Thomas, III Advertising/Marketing Andrew Pipkin andrew@itgnext.com Mark Dykes mark@itgnext.com Digital Manager Mandy Douthit

ITG Next is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher.

Dykes Media Group LLC makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2021 Dykes Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

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Max Steel

Brandon Pham

Videographer

Videographer

Originally from Decatur, Georgia, Max attended Valdosta State University and graduated with a degree in mass media.

A former college cross country runner, Max now works at ITG Next as a videographer. When not at ITG Next, Max enjoys working out and creating short films.

Brandon recently graduated from Valdosta State University with a degree in mass media. He is a sports videographer ready to get back into the action. He prefers to use Sony cameras. He currently uses a Sony 6300 but will be getting the new Sony A7siii. His dream is to be a videographer for the NFL or any sports team. His favorite sports team is Orlando City SC even though they’ve never been to the playoffs.

Broadcaster/Writer

Tyrah Walker Broadcaster Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Tyrah Walker is excited to join the ITG Next family as one of the on-air hosts. A graduate of the preeminent University of South Florida, she received her bachelor's degree in mass communications with an emphasis in broadcast news (Go, Bulls!).

Tyrah is also an author. She is looking forward to sharing sports stories with the community. When she's not hosting or blogging, Tyrah enjoys reading, photography, and spending time with family.

Micki Krzynski Contributing Photographer When it comes to loyalty to In the Game, it is hard to top Micki. Since the very beginning of In the Game, Micki has provided strong, creative, and highly professional photos. Consequently, Micki and her son/assistant, Jake, have become our go-to photo duo. With enough talent, equipment, and experience to make her dangerous, she continues to push ITG’s photography forward.

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Marist Star Leaves Behind Quite A Legacy At Marist, Readies For Next Chapter At Syracuse Written by: Phil Jones | Photography Submitted by: Nina McDonald

Derek McDonald learned to walk and play football at the same time. Well, that may be a bit of a stretch, but not by much. The Atlanta native and recent Marist graduate is the son of Nina and Bruce McDonald and began playing football at the age of 5.

“We signed him up for football in the first grade, and he took to it right away,” says Nina. “He was a truly a natural. He was one of the best tacklers on the team, which a lot of the younger guys have trouble with when they first start playing, but Derek loved it.”

Derek began playing with the Murphy Candler Colts, a youth travel ball team out of Candler Park in Atlanta. According to Derek, he played safety on defense, as well as running back and quarterback on offense at the beginning of his playing days.

As he grew taller and got bigger, his coaches moved him to the line, where he played on both sides of the ball. Derek attended school and played ball for Candler until the seventh grade, before moving on to Marist. His class started off with a successful run beginning in middle school.

“We only lost two games during my middle school team’s seasons in the seventh and eighth grade,” says Derek.

He says that success continued as his class grew into high school.

“We made it to the semifinals during my 10thgrade season, then the third round of the playoffs in my junior season and, fortunately, won it all this past season, which was my final season at Marist,” he says.

Derek worked his way into a starting position as a sophomore for Marist. He was recognized for his achievements that season, being named to the Region 7-4A Honorable Mention All-Region Team as a linebacker.

The following season, as Derek continued to mature physically into a more complete player, he began to see action at tight end and defensive end.

He was once again recognized for his on-the-field accomplishments and was named Region 7-4A First Team All-Region Tight End and Defensive End. He also began to receive attention from colleges his junior year.

“I was mainly getting attention from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale,” says Derek. “They were all showing interest in me.”

His 4.0 GPA throughout high school, along with the stellar college preparatory program that he had gone through at Marist, attracted the interest of Ivy League schools. But Syracuse also was interested in Derek; he liked what the Orange had to offer, and not only with their football facilities.

14 | itgnext.com

“I have always liked sports, and I have always wanted to study sports communications.

Syracuse has one of the better sports communication programs, so that really attracted me to them.”

— Derek McDonald

“I have always liked sports, and I have always wanted to study sports communications,” he says.

“Syracuse has one of the better sports communication programs, so that really attracted me to them.”

So, with that, Derek signed his letter of intent with the Orange on Dec. 16. Syracuse recruited Derek as an athlete, and although he played both sides of the ball on both sides, he says they plan to use him primarily on defense.

“He’s a big guy at 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 230 pounds who moves like a smaller, quicker athlete,” linebacker coach Chris Achuff says. “I think he brings a whole new dynamic to our defense.”

Defensive coordinator Tony White agrees.

“The first thing that comes to mind when I see Derek is blue collar. He’s able to do multiple things, and that worries me a little,” says White, tongue in cheek. “We defensive guys don’t want Coach (Dino) Babers coming over and taking him from us (to play offense).”

gence is off the chart, and he is the one we depended on to make the calls at the line of scrimmage. He sees everything. He has that vision, and that takes a special player. Derek is not only a special player, but he is so well respected by his teammates.”

Derek is not the only athlete in the McDonald family. His mom ran track at North Carolina, and dad Bruce ran track and played soccer at Marist.

He has an older sister that played soccer in high school at Marist and now attends Boston College as a student only.

Derek’s younger brother, Kevin, is a rising junior who was a reserve tackle on this past year’s championship team. Chadwick says he expects Kevin to step right up and carry on the McDonald name at Marist.

“We fully expect Kevin to compete for a starting position this upcoming season,” says the War Eagles head coach.

Derek will head to Syracuse this summer to begin his college career.

Derek leaves behind quite a legacy at Marist. In his final year, he was named team captain and was selected as the AJC Class 4A Defensive Player of The Year. He was selected as First Team All-State Defensive End and was the AJC All-Metro Dekalb County Defensive Player of the Year.

He also was a big part of the War Eagles’ undefeated 2020 campaign that saw them finish 13-0 in dominating fashion on the their way to the Class 4A state championship, defeating Jefferson 30-14 in the title game.

Derek led one of the stingiest defenses in the entire state. The unit held opponents to a mere 3 points per game average for the season. Marist head football coach Alan Chadwick said Derek’s qualities extend way beyond the football field.

“Derek is as great a person as he is a player, and he’s a very good player,” said Chadwick. “His intelliITG Next | 15

COMMITTED

Carrollton | RHP/3B 16 | itgnext.com

Rett VanDeMark Voted ITG Next February Athlete of the Month Rett VanDeMark, a junior, has just completed what is arguably one of the best personal statistical seasons in the history of Georgia high school basketball.

But, VanDeMark doesn’t play for a well-known basketball school. Instead, he plays for the Homeschool Athletic League Organization. HALO is made up of other home-schooled students, and the team competes in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools.

For his accomplishments, VanDeMark has been voted as our February Athlete of the Month. Our newsletter subscribers and social media followers had the opportunity to vote for one of six candidates for our Athlete of the Month. With right at 42% % of the vote, VanDeMark just edged out Richmond Hill wrestler Tate Evans for the recognition.

In 23 games this season, VanDeMark averaged 26.9 points per game, shooting an outstanding 57% from the field. He averaged 14.9 rebounds per game, with 4.3 blocks per game.

VanDeMark finished in the top 10 in practically every stat category in the state in boys high school basketball. His 26.9 points per game average was third best, as was his 14.9 rebounds per game average. His 4.3 blocks per game average was fourth best in the state, as was his 127 free throws made for the season. His field goals made and percentage were both good enough for third best overall in the state. He finished second best overall in the state in the double doubles category with 22 double doubles out of 23 games.

When notified of being selected as the ITG Next Athlete of the Month, the HALO junior was both humble and honored.

“This puts a big smile on my face,” he said. “I’m not too big on promoting myself, as I prefer to stay humble.”

VanDeMark began playing basketball in the fifth grade and, like most great basketball players, was the tallest guy in the room

and on the court. He was 5-foot-11 then. The growth spurt would continue into middle school.

“I went from 5’11” to close to 6’4” in middle school,” VanDeMark said.

Today, he stands at 6’7”, an obvious advantage on the basketball court. VanDeMark said he plans to play AAU basketball for the first time this offseason, either with a team out of Anderson, South Carolina, or hopefully closer to home.

“My dad may be starting up an AAU team, which would be great,” he said.

After that, VanDeMark said he looks forward to finishing out his senior season with HALO, and then hopefully the opportunity to play at the next level will present itself.

VanDeMark said that Bryan College and Johnson Ferry College, both Division II, are looking at him and have expressed interest in possibly signing the talented HALO hoopster.

Wherever VanDeMark winds up, his goal remains the same.

“I want to be that guy that my team looks to go to win the game at the end,” he said.

Rett VanDeMark is the son of Jeff and Carrie VanDeMark and lives with his family in Morgan County. Jeff VanDeMark not only serves as the head coach of the Halo Wolfpack basketball team, but he also founded HALO 10 years ago, in 2011.

ITG Next | 17

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Ashley Henderson: Thomas County Central Coach Ready for Team to Take Big Step in 2021 Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Brandon Pham

Growing up in Pensacola and Jacksonville, before moving to Valdosta as a young boy with his family, Ashley Henderson had played every sport that most active youngsters do at his age. Henderson says he remembers swimming, playing basketball, tennis, baseball, and even golf before middle school. He had already played more sports that most boys do in their childhood, and even into high school.

But, there was one sport that he hadn’t yet participated in, and ironically, that would be the one thing that he makes a living and, as of now does everyday football.

“Football didn’t start for me until middle school,” says the head coach of the Thomas County High School Yellow Jackets football team.

His first team was the old Valdosta Junior High School Wildcats team,

where Henderson’s size made him a natural for offensive line. But, he not only had the size, but he had the talent.

He became a very good lineman, and excelled at the position of tackle as he advanced to high school, where he played for Valdosta High.

At a school known more for its quarterbacks than its big guys, Henderson was good enough at protecting the former that he started getting noticed by colleges. Most of the southern schools were looking at Henderson, and he and his parents were making visits to almost all of the major colleges.

Then, there was one northeastern school that was interested as well. “I went to visit Notre Dame, and actually went to a camp that they hosted,” says Henderson. “ It was funny, because my dad hated Notre Dame, but I promise if they had

“There’s no question that my job is to win football games. But, we’ve had to change the culture here 180 degrees from where it was. The first thing was to change the offseason mentality, so that our kids are doing something year round. We encourage our players to take part in other sports, and if they don’t, we have a speed training program that those guys take part in. It’s all about staying active, and staying in good football shape.”

— Ashley Henderson

ITG Next | 19

offered me a full scholarship, he would have quickly became a fan of the Irish,” he says with a laugh.

But, they didn’t, and he would wind up choosing Georgia Tech from offers of the Jackets, Florida and South Carolina.

“I liked their academics, and the campus,” said Henderson. His time at Tech would be cut short due to a knee injury, so he packed up and decided to transfer to Valdosta State University.

But, as Henderson explains, “a knee injury at one school is the same at another.”

With his playing days over, Henderson wanted to stay involved in the sport of football, so he became a student assistant with the Blazers.

“Coach Chris Hatcher let me do that, and it gave me my first taste of coaching,” Henderson explains.

He then became a graduate assistant, a 20 | itgnext.com

position he held until leaving VSU to take his first paying job as an assistant coach at Valdosta High School.

“I accepted an offensive line coaching position under Rick Darlington,” he said.

“It was my first paying coaching job.”

Henderson would remain at Valdosta for seven years, coaching under Rick Tomberlin and finally Rance Gillespie.

Then, his big opportunity would come up when the head coaching position opened up at Valwood.

“My goal all along was to become a head football coach, so I applied,” says Henderson.

He would wind up getting the job. Things were happening fast.

Henderson had just married his girlfriend, the former Megan Pulido in 2010, and here he was realizing his dream of becoming a head foot-

ball coach.

“It really worked out well. She and I were just talking about starting a family, and I didn’t have to uproot us to take the job since it was here in Valdosta,” says Henderson.

His first year at Valwood was 2012, and it was a resounding success. He would lead the Valiants to an undefeated season and a state championship. That was just the beginning of one of the most successful coaching careers at any level, any classification, public or private schools.

Under Henderson, Valwood’s football program would blossom with two more state titles, plus a semifinal appearance, a quarterfinal appearance, and another trip to the finals, where Valwood finished runners up. Henderson would go 66-12 in six seasons at the GISA Class AAA School, turning the Valiants into a state powerhouse.

That would get the attention of the folks at Thomas County Central, who were looking for a new head coach. It was 2018, and the Yellow Jackets had just finished 3-8, and were looking for a new head coach that could come in and turn things around.

“They brought me in for the initial interview, and I thought things went well, but you never know,” says Henderson.

Then, he says they called and asked him to come back for a second interview. Henderson says he thought that was a positive sign. Turns out it was.

“I got the job, and was thankful for them hiring me. I knew from the moment I visited the school and the facilities, and met the people, that this was somewhere I wanted to be,” said Henderson.

Henderson has just completed his third season at Thomas Co Central, and admits that

the job of getting things turned around has been challenging, and is maybe taking more time than some may want, but he feels like things are definitely heading in the right direction.

“There’s no question that my job is to win football games,” acknowledges Henderson. “But, we’ve had to change the culture here 180 degrees from where it was. The first thing was to change the offseason mentality, so that our kids are doing something year round. We encourage our players to take part in other sports, and if they don’t, we have a speed training program that those guys take part in. It’s all about staying active, and staying in good football shape.”

Henderson admits that there have been some growing pains, but the kids are definitely buying in.

“There were some things that we’ve had to tear down to the studs

“I got the job, and was thankful for them hiring me. I knew from the moment I visited the school and the facilities, and met the people, that this was somewhere I wanted to be.”

— Ashley Henderson and rebuild from the ground up,” He says. “We have a new administration that wants to do the right things and that supports what we’re doing, and that’s encouraging.

I think we are definitely on the cusp of some great things here at Thomas County Central, and we’re starting to see a return on that sweat equity,” says Henderson.

While the main emphasis is building success on the football field, the Jackets head coach says getting the players more involved with their classroom studies has been a big goal of his, and so far its paying off.

“We have gone from having six kids with a GPA of 3.0 to now having around 50 players with a 3.0.

Henderson says getting more kids involved and participating in football has been a priority, and so far, that’s looking much better.

“Our roster size was about 66 kids in the 9th12th grade. Now, we have around 115 players, which we expect to kick back up to around 125 once the next season starts. That includes 45 rising 9th graders, another significant improvement.”

Henderson has started ‘Cop Talks” with the school’s resource officer speaking to the team on a weekly basis about a variety of real life subjects.

“He’s talking to the guys about traffic violations, social media awareness, substance abuse and possession, etc. The team also takes part in Jacket Pride Talks.

“It’s all about character development. We want to make them better football players but we also want to make them great people and better citizens. We think those go hand in hand.”

Another person that has been a big part of ensuring success for Jackets players and her coaching husband is Mrs. Henderson, Ashley’s wife. The former Megan Pulido and Henderson were married in 2010, and she has played a big role in helping the team wherever she can, especially with keeping up with their studies in the virtual learning world.

“It’s a family deal with us,” says Henderson.

“There’s a special place in heaven for coach’s wives. This past season, Megan had 4-5 players that were virtual learning at our house. She made sure they were spread apart so that they kept social distance guidelines. She kept them on task and made sure they had a place to go to get their schoolwork done.

She’s a saint, as are all of our coaches wives,” says Henderson.

On the football field, the Yellow Jackets made the playoffs for the first time in three years this past season, and the team is 14-16 overall under Henderson.

Henderson knows there’s still work to be done, but feels good about the path ahead.

“We’re on the right road. We’re going to get there.”

Once a winner, always a winner. That’s Henderson.

Ethan Little Shines Big With Lee Swim Team Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Brandon Pham

Ethan Little loves the water.

That’s a big reason why Lee County Swim Coach Marri Kay Haggerty was so pleased when Ethan approached her last year, saying he wanted to join the team.

She says that she has known Ethan since he was a young child, and actually taught him how to swim.

“I remember teaching Ethan how to swim when he was three years old,” says Marri Kay. Ethan’s mother confirms her son’s love for the water.

“Ethan has never feared the water at all,” says Sally Little.

“When we would all go out in the boat, Ethan would suddenly jump out and start swimming,” she said.

Despite his lifelong attraction and interest 22 | itgnext.com

for being in the water, Ethan had never taken part in any water related activities with his school.

Marri Kay says the reason was probably pretty simple.

“Last year was the first time that anyone had really thought about involving a specialneeds child in swimming,” says Haggerty.

Ethan has Down Syndrome, and Marri Kay says that probably kept him from stepping forward about joining the swim team. But, any apprehension that Ethan may have had was wiped out just prior to the start of the season last year.

That was when Ethan’s classmate, Jennings Slaughter, joined the swim team.

“When Ethan found out that his friend Jennings had joined the team, that motivated

Ethan to join, also,” said coach Haggerty.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, Jennings was able to swim in just one meet, but Ethan continued to practice with the team twice a week. His mother took up the slack from there, and took Ethan to the local YMCA the other three days a week. Ethan was in the water practically every day. What was the reason for so much practice?

Coach Haggerty explains that Ethan could swim the 50-meter freestyle with no problem but he still needed to work on his flip turns.

Coach Haggerty explains this is the move that swimmers make once they reach each the end of their lane, at the wall of the pool. The swimmer must ‘flip’ over without having any or little or down time.

She says that once Ethan was able to master his flip move, he was able to start working on other parts of his swim activities.

“We then started working on Ethan’s 100 freestyle, which he performed really well in, so we ramped him up to the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle, and he improved his times in every meet!” says Haggerty.

In addition to coaching the Lee Middle School swim team, Marri Kay also oversees the high school swim team.

She says that Ethan has a great chance to swim for her on that team, also.

“If he continues to progress a stays in the pool, I feel like Ethan will swim in high school, and I think he’ll do great,” she says.

Besides the swim team, Ethan has a large

support group to work with him at home.

According to his mom Sally, there is Ethan’s father, Bradd, and older brother Gabriel.

She says there are also “lots of cousins,” and everyone loves to play with Ethan. But, Sally Little says, they don’t treat Ethan any different.

“Nope, they treat Ethan just like he’s another one of the boys,” she says.

Ethan is out to prove that he can do anything and so far, so good for the Lee Middle School Swim Team.

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Valwood Golfers Have Their Eye On The Big Prize in 2021 Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Micki K Photography

24 | itgnext.com

You’ve surely heard this story already: A team with big hopes gets ready to kick off their 2020 season with thoughts of a championship dancing in their head. They have several contributors from the previous season returning, and the coach, players and fans can’t wait to get started. The season starts off just as expected, with immediate success. Then, just like that, with little to no warning, things come to an abrupt halt as sports teams and leagues all over the world announce the cancellation of their seasons suddenly and swiftly. The stoppage is unlike anything the sports world has ever seen.

Perhaps even more maddening is the realization that there is no way to predict if things will get better, and if teams and players will be able to return to the game they love.

Such was the case for the 2020 Valwood golf season. According to first-year coach Israel Troupe, who had coached at Valdosta the previous season, the Valiants were prepared for big things.

“We knew we had a chance to be pretty good, and the start of the season just confirmed that,” said Troupe. “We started off with wins in our first three tournaments, and they were each majors,” he said.

The Valiant golf team started off winning the Tift County Blue Devil Invitational, also known as the Tift County Ryder Cup. They would follow that up with another win in the second tournament, The South Georgia High School Boys Classic, and finally in their third straight win, Valwood would take top honors in the Frederica Invitational at the scenic Jekyll Islands course.

Its worth noting that unlike most every other sport, Valwood’s competition included public school powerhouses from Class 5A, 6A and 7A in every one of the tournaments, with the closest competitor finishing 5 strikes behind the Valwood leaders.

Troupe says the team

was on a roll.

“We were just hitting our stride. Our guys had really found their stroke, and the weather was just perfect golf weather during our run,” says Troupe.

But, that was then. 2020 is done with, and while some uncertainties remain with COVID-19, Valwood is preparing for what could be an even better campaign that what last year’s expectations were.

The Valiant golf team is considered to be favorites for not only a region championship, but a state title as well.

Their 2021 tournament schedule is considered to be one of the toughest in the state, as they’ll play almost exclusively in GHSA tournaments.

That includes an invitation to participate in once of the most exclusive and prestigious tournaments of the season-the Georgia/ South Carolina Cup. There are only eight Georgia high school golf teams invited, and according to Troupe, Valwood will be the only team south of Atlanta invited to play.

Other tournaments that a part of the 2021 Valwood golf schedule include the NGJG-South Georgia High School Boys Classic at Kinderlou; the NGJG-Prince Avenue Chris-

tian Tournament at Lake Oconee; the NGJG at the UGA Course in Athens; the Georgia/South Carolina Cup at the Currahee Club in Toccoa; The Larry Gaither-Hardaway Invitational at Bull Creek in Columbus, and the Trojan Invitational at Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrolton.

Troupe says they like the tough schedule.

“We built the schedule to be tough so our guys would be really prepared for the region tournament,” said Troupe.

Returning in 2021 to lead the Valwood golf team is a trio of golfers that includes two Division-1 commits: Payne Elkins will attend Austin-Peay State University, while Parker Highsmith has committed to The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Sophomore golfer Brock Blais is the third golfer in the group, and Troupe says the 10th grader is “the most phenomenal young golfer I’ve ever seen.”

Parker and Payne were actually selected to the 2020 Georgia High School All Star Golf Tournament, however the event was cancelled due to COVID. In addition to Elkins, Highsmith, and Blais, the Valiants golf team also returns Drew Womack, Pate

Hogan, and Wheeler Ryan from last season’s team.

Troupe says there are newcomers to the team.

They are Ash Patel, Eli Pay, and Bennett Alvarado.

Troupe says the Valiants will miss Corey White, who graduated.

“Corey was a great character guy and a very good golfer,” says Troupe. “He will certainly be missed this year.”

The team’s home course is the Valdosta Country Club, and Troupe says the golf team works hard at getting better at their craft.

“We practice Monday thru Thursday after school,” said Troupe. “We start at 4:00, and play nine holes every day.”

He says that the practice rounds also serve as qualifiers of sorts.

“We have nine golfers on the team, so in order to determine who will represent us in the tournament I keep the score of everyone’s rounds, for all four days. The lowest scores determine who travels to that weekend tournament,” says Troupe. “That way, there is no having to choose who travels or who doesn’t. They compete for the spots. If there is ever a parent who wants to know why their son isn’t participating in a tournament with us, then I just simply

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show them the score sheet.

It takes away any perception of choosing one golfer over another for any other reason,” he says.

Troupe says he takes five golfers to each tournament, including one alternate.

While the current Valwood golf team is considered to be one of their best ever, Valwood Athletic Director Brett Martin says the school has enjoyed a long standing tradition of successful golf.

“Valwood has enjoyed a tremendous golf program for as long as I’ve been here. Thirty years ago when I arrived at Valwood, Joe Wilson was the golf coach, and Nick Daugherty was the state medalist. Our golf program has been strong during my stay here,” says Martin, recalling some off the great memories of golf match ups. “We battled Frederica for the state ti-

tle for many years against some stacked teams that featured very talented golfers like Davis Love III’s son.”

Martin admits that the current group of Valiant golfers has a chance to make their own piece of history.

“This year’s golf team has to be the deepest we’ve ever had. This team is made up of highly competitive and talented golfers and great kids. Any of our guys can shoot par on any given day, and I’d absolutely put our 1 through 5 slots up against anybody out there. We have several guys that are in national tournaments year round, so they’re used to a high level of competition and pressure. We are certainly looking for big things out of Coach Troupe and this year’s golf team. I know they’ll do well,” said Martin.

“This year’s golf team has to be the deepest we’ve ever had. This team is made up of highly competitive and talented golfers and great kids. Any of our guys can shoot par on any given day, and I’d absolutely put our 1 through 5 slots up against anybody out there. We have several guys that are in national tournaments year round, so they’re used to a high level of competition and pressure. We are certainly looking for big things out of Coach Troupe and this year’s golf team. I know they’ll do well.”

— Brett Martin

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BEAR TURNED BULLDOG Written by: Gerald Thomas, III Photography by: Brandon Pham and Submitted by: Kimberly Madliak

Garrett ‘Bear’ Madliak of Carrollton High School baseball has Major League Baseball dreams as he enters his senior year.

The Trojan catcher was nicknamed ‘Bear’ as a newborn because of how visible his body hair was at a young age.

“I was kind of hairy when I was born so my mom called me her little bear. I’ve been Bear ever since.

Everybody calls me Bear, even my teachers.”

The 18-year old picked up baseball when he was 3.

“I played with an older team because they didn’t have tee ball where I grew up at in Douglasville. Ever since then, I fell in love with the game. My first team was called the Lugnuts and I’m still friends with the guys that was on the team.”

From that moment he knew that he wanted to play in the Majors.

When he started playing travel baseball, he noticed that he could take things far with the sport.

“When I played on my first travel ball team, we played a good competition and me and my dad realized that I was a really good baseball player. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I started getting noticed by being in front of college scouts and in showcases. I was comparing myself to a bunch of baseball players and thought that I had a good shot.

Then I got a couple offers and committed to UGA but still wasn’t satisfied and made my next goal the MLB if I worked hard enough.”

He would sign on with UGA on November 11 to play baseball.

“My dream school was Mississippi State because I grew up going to their baseball camps.

I loved their facilities. But they had too many coaching changes and it made me skeptical. But UGA was always my favorite college football team and I grew up in Georgia. I always was a Bulldog. I got a call from Scott Stricklin and fell in love. He gave me enough time to make me realize that UGA was where I wanted to go.”

Bear’s Carrollton High School coach, Scott Johnson feels that the Bulldogs are getting a top of the line player with his ability to be coached paired with his skill from the catcher position.

“They’re getting the best that Carrollton, West Georgia, and the Southeast has to offer! I've coached two Indiana all-stars and coached against MLB players including Tucker Barnhart and Kevin Plawecki. I've seen the most talented and the most coachable and 28 | itgnext.com

Bear ranks up there with all of them. In my opinion, Bear is better than both of them when they were at this point in their baseball career. There is just this genuine love of hard work that cannot be taught – even to those players that were born to play catcher; Bear is that player.”

When it comes to training for baseball, Bear sacrifices sleep in order to improve his game.

“I wake up at five o’clock everyday and work out to get lean and flexible. Then I go do catching drills with my catching coach. Then I have pitching and catching practice from 7-8:25. I have practice after school. After practice, I do some more catching drills. In the fall, I go to Jupiter or Fort Myers to do a light workout to stay in shape. I rest after the tournaments for a couple days and then fire back up.”

Johnson knows that this will propel Bear in his final season as a Trojan.

“He is a catcher through and through and can manage a game and a pitching staff very, very well; and, no one should ever test his arm or his heart.

This might be the only place where Bear doesn't live up to his name. Bear never shies away from hard work behind the plate, on the plate/fieldwork, in the box, or anywhere on the baseball field. He is going to play baseball for a really long time, but he will also make a great coach someday; the coachable ones always do.”

As his senior year of baseball heats up, Bear is going to miss his teammates as they grew up with them from his youth.

“It’s going to be tough. The guys that I have grown

“I was kind of hairy when I was born so my mom called me her little bear. I’ve been Bear ever since.

Everybody calls me Bear, even my teachers.”

— Garrett ‘Bear’ Madliak

up with have been on my same travel and school ball team and we’re all best friends. Eli (Runyan), Colton (Cosper), Tucker (Sullivan), Parker (Willis), Chaz (Hickman) were the guys that I grew up with. It’s going to be sad after we play our last game together. But I’ll have to get over it sooner or later and let the next chapter begin but it’s going to be tough because I love all those guys.”

He will set his sights to his schoolwork and the baseball diamond once he gets to Athens with hopes of getting drafted after two years.

“I want to have good grades and start my freshman year. I want to be THE catcher and ready to go. I want to ahead of everybody and be the guy that he wants to put in. After two years, I’m trying to get drafted and start my career in the MLB. I’ve always loved the Braves. I would love to be in a Braves uniform because it would be easy for my parents to travel to watch me play. But it doesn’t matter where I’m at as long as I’m in the MLB and doing what I love.”

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Calhoun High School has one of the best baseball programs in Georgia. The Georgia Scorpions is a top travel ball team out of North Georgia. What both baseball programs have in common is having created a force to be reckoned with, Hagan Banks.

Banks is a 6 foot 4, 190lbs., right-handed player who throws over 90 mph ball committed to the University of Alabama.

“I felt like Alabama was the right fit for me,” said Hagan Banks.

Alabama’s assistant coach, Jerry Zulli, recruited Banks. He believes they saw what he could do and his potential to be a Southeastern Conference (SEC) pitcher.

“They were invested in developing me, not just as a player, but as a man.”

Calhoun has also helped Banks further his athletic abilities. He mentions that his high school has a longstanding tradition of winning in athletics. His baseball coach, Chip Henderson is said to have been a great coach and mentor. The results of this can be seen in his playing ability says Banks.

Banks reflects on one game in particular. The last game right before the COVID-19 pandemic ended up shutting down the rest of the season.

“Several colleges were there, including Alabama.”

Banks pitched the entire game and they won.

Banks ended that game with 72 pitches, 12 K’s, no walks and one hit.

The team was expected to go extremely far in their 2020 season as they were already starting off with sixteen wins and only one loss. Though his senior season did not end how he wished, he definitely did not disappoint the school with helping them gain a great record for the season.

He mentions that when pitching he has separate pitches for right and left-handed batters. For example, with left-handed batters he says he likes to start with an inside fastball and then work his way out. Considering he already has his own signature combinations will continue to make him a great baseball player.

His love for the game, the competition, and the camaraderie he has with his teammates are what make him such a great player. He believes that baseball has taught him great life lessons that have led him to be thankful for where he has ended up.

Committing to the University of Alabama will only increase the knowledge of play he already has. It will be exciting to see Banks go from a Calhoun High School Yellow Jacket and Georgia Scorpion to an Alabama Crimson Tide Warrior.

Hagan Banks is a name to definitely remember.

Banks 'Bama Bound Calhoun's Banks headed to Crimson Tide

Written by: Kaitlyne Piper | Submitted: Tim Godbee

“Hagan has been obsessed with baseball since he was eighteen months old. He carried a ball and glove everywhere he went, wanting to throw with anyone who would. His dream has been to be a pitcher in the SEC and one day play in the big leagues. He has worked hard, sacrificing weekends for travel ball, and missed a lot of family functions to follow his dream. We are beyond proud of him and excited for what the future holds,” says his mother, Staci Banks.

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Milly Prince: Aiming To Be The Best Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Micki K Photography

When you first meet Milly Prince, your first impression of the Lowndes High School freshman isn't that of an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting deer, fishing, and turkey calling. But, that’s also why they say don’t judge a book by its cover. Milly is indeed all of those things and a lot more. In addition to loving to hunt and fish, she is a sportsman of a different type, too. Milly grew up playing tennis and according to her mother, Suzan Garnett, started playing not long after learning to walk.

“Milly took her first private tennis lesson when she was four years old,” says Garnett.

“She just grew up around the sport with me and her dad playing a lot of tennis.”

It’s no surprise then that Milly started racking up various tournament wins, with her most recent being the USTA Tournament, which was held at Valdosta’s McKey Park on July of this year. Milly won the 18-year-old singles. Yes, that’s a 14-year-old... winning the 18-year-old singles tournament. Today, Milly plays with the Lowndes girls tennis team, and plays the #1 doubles. Her coach is Heath Phelps, who talks glowingly about Milly.

“She came in as a real team leader from the very beginning, and you just don’t see that much when you're talking about a freshman,” says Phelps. “Ive watched Milly play since she was 5 or 6 years old, and you could see just how talented she was right away.”

Milly talks about her love for tennis.

“I’ve been around the sport as long as I can remember, so I think it was only natural that I wanted to learn to play the sport that I had been watching my whole life,” she said.

Having conquered tennis, Milly became interested in Volley Ball. Jay Prince, Milly’s father, says even though she had played tennis for practically her whole life, Milly really liked the team element of volleyball.

“Tennis was more of a one-on-one sport, and she loved it, but Milly likes her friends, and a lot of her friend were playing volleyball,” says Jay. “The sport has really taken off here in Valdosta, and Milly enjoys the team atmosphere that volleyball offers.”

Milly started playing volleyball through the Valdosta- Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority when she was in middle school. While the Lowndes

Middle school doesn’t have a volleyball team, the Lowndes High Volleyball coach was certainly aware of Milly, and was looking forward to having her join the varsity squad.

“Milly has been on my radar for a few years now,” says Vikings coach Laine Craven.

She began playing with the Lowndes High Volleyball team as a freshman, something that impressed Craven from the start.

“I knew she was destined to excel in high school sports, even at a young age” says Craven. “She certainly proved this to be true her freshman season as she earned her spot on our Lowndes varsity volleyball team.”

Craven talks about the leadership qualities that Milly possesses, even as a freshman.

“Milly plays every minute of every game with determination, enthusiasm, and heart,” says Craven. “She is such a vocal leader on the floor, and encourages her teammates to fight to the end. Milly’s versatility on the floor makes her a valuable asset and a dream to coach.”

Milly’s contributions helped lead the Vikings to a 20-10 record and a trip to the state playoffs this past season. Lowndes advanced to the second round, where their magical season came to an end against Walton High School. Milly was recognized as the Region 1-7A Rookie of the Year. She finished with 59 aces in 254 serves. She added 155 attacks with 45 kills. She passed 157 on serves while receiving 116 digs. The digs and serving stats were tops on the team. In ITG Next | 35

addition to her school volleyball team, Milly is also in her third season with Coach Val Gallahan’s Travel Volleyball squad, which is based out of Tallahassee.

Like coaches Craven and Phelps, Gallahan is very complimentary of Milly.

“Milly has been a captain for us in each of her three seasons, including this season,” she says. “The great thing about that is her teammates actually vote on who they want as Captain, so I think that says a lot about how they feel about her.

“Milly is the quiet, strong type of player. She definitely leads by example. She is never satisfied, and always wants to be better.”

Milly doesn’t let her lack of size keep her from being a successful volleyball player, either. Gallahan says she has a great jump serve, which Milly’s mom says may have tennis to be thankful for providing.

“I think her tennis serve has really helped her volleyball serve,” says Garnett.

Milly agrees with her mom.

“The skills I acquired through tennis helped me make a quick transition to volleyball,” says Milly.

“I love volleyball and tennis, as well as hunting, so it's hard for me to say which is my favorite.”

— Milly Prince

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Along with volleyball and tennis, Milly says she really enjoys being an outdoorsman as much as anything. In fact, Milly’s mom says she thinks if it comes down to the one sport or activity that Milly prefers to do more than anything else, its hunting.

“If you ask Milly what she enjoys doing more than anything, I bet it would be deer hunting,” says Garnett.

Milly began hunting when she was just 2 years old.

“Milly has been sitting in a deer stand with me since she was two-and-a-half years old,” says Garnett. “I taught her to shoot, and she shot her first deer when she was 6 years old.”

Milly says her mom taught her a lot about about being around and respecting nature.

“From hunting with my mom to fishing at my grandparents' cabin, I learned to respect the outdoors at a very young age,” she said. “I consider hunting more of a passion than a sport. Most of my greatest memories stem from time spent enjoying God’s beautiful creations in nature. Hunting is a wonderful time for me to shut everything else out.”

Last spring, Milly was hunting with her Mom and other friends and family members when she spotted a turkey. But, this wasn’t just any turkey; this was a potential record-setting turkey. The bird weighed 21 pounds and 10 ounces and put Milly in the record books as the third largest Wild Turkey ever taken by a female hunter in Georgia. Milly is also in the national record books at No. 44 for largest turkey taken by a female anywhere in the country.

So, whether it’s in the woods, on the tennis court, or on the volleyball floor, it's hard to say whether to define her as “athlete” or “sportsman.” Whatever you call her, whichever sport it is, you can say she’s good at either. As far as her favorite sport, Milly leaves that open for discussion, as well.

“I love volleyball and tennis, as well as hunting, so it's hard for me to say which is my favorite,” she says. “If I was forced to choose my favorite, my answer would depend on which sport I was playing that day.”

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Just Like Family:

Brooks Hoopster Says His Teammates And Coach Are More Than Just Teammates Written by: Kaitlyne Piper Photography by: Micki K Photography

Senior Ja’karius Jenkins plays basketball at Brooks County High School. Throughout all four years of high school Jenkins has been part of the varsity team as a point guard and shooting guard.

On January 9 Jenkins scored his season high by gaining eighteen points for his team against Irwin County High School, a game that ended in a 59-46 win for Brooks County.

“Basketball is something I can really use to get away from things. When I’m in a bad mood or anything, basketball makes me feel better,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins talks highly of his team’s dedication that they had last basketball season. He recalls a game where they played Mitchell County High School.

His team was down by seventeen points at halftime when their coach gave them a much-needed pep talk filled with encouraging affirmations. However, they still lost the game, but as a team they fought till the very end, which makes Jenkins proud to be a Brook County Trojan.

As for his current season, his current stats are averaging about ten points per game; placing him at third for team leading scorer. Another average he has is 2.3 assists per game. Tied for the lead against one of his teammates.

Team competition is good as it pushes each other to keep doing their best, which in the end helps the entire team.

His goal for the rest of the season is to win the region championships as well as a state championship.

“This is just my second year with him, but I really wish I had two more,” said Trojans Head Coach Darious Dennard when talking about Jenkins.

Coach Dennard also mentions that his style of play is different from other players that in turn makes him stand out.

Jenkins plans for his future to include basketball, preferably at Middle Georgia State University or even by playing overseas. However, he wants to contribute to the needs of any college that wants him.

“He has the drive to continuously get better and I think whichever program de-

cides to take him won’t regret it at all,” said Coach Dennard.

Jenkins has faced a few setbacks with his health and breaking a finger but he still persevered. He never even missed a game. This is likely due to the support installed in him but his coach, mother, and his brother.

“I never had a father and he [Coach Dennard] had been there since the day I met him. He never turned his back on me.

That’s why I go so hard for him and my family,” says Jenkins.

Family is important to Jenkins and he wishes for anyone who believed in him understands their importance to him.

“You all mean the world to me and I’m going to go hard for you no matter what,” said Jenkins when talking about his love for his dedicated supporters.

Basketball is an outlet for Jenkins and with important people behind him he can only go up from here.

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KEEPING THE LEGACY ALIVE Written by: Gerald Thomas, III | Submitted by: Wheeler

When Larry Thompson took the Wheeler High School boys basketball head coach job in 2017, he knew he wanted to take his own path.

He didn’t want to follow behind legendary Doug Lipscomb who led the Wildcats to six state championships and do it his way instead.

Thompson came to Wheeler with a winning pedigree though, capturing two state championships at the GHSA Class A-Private level during his time at Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy.

The sixth-year head coach would get Wheeler a state championship a season ago in his second season at the helm as he led his team to a 24-7 record and narrow 60-59 victory over Grayson in the Class 7A title.

Coaching is in his 40 | itgnext.com

DNA as Thompson’s mother coached high school sports, making him a natural at calling plays from the sideline.

“It’s my passion to be around the kids and teenagers knowing the impression that you can have on them. I think it’s truly my calling and I wouldn’t to be doing anything else,” he said.

“My mom was a girls high school basketball and softball coach and taught health and physical education. It’s been in my blood and I’m truly passionate about it.”

Thompson has been around basketball since he was a youth and sees it as a rewarding sport as he went to play at South Alabama for college.

It would create a deep love for the hardwood for him as he looks at it as a yearround responsibility.

“If you love what you do, you would nev-

er work a day in your life and I truly love the game of basketball because it’s been good to me. It helped me be awarded a scholarship to South Alabama to play college basketball and get a free education. The coaches I had growing up are instrumental and key to my development as a coach. I take something from each one of them that I remember from playing for them.

They brought the juice everyday and I pride myself on not letting my players have bad energy days. Coaching is 24/7-365-day job and I don’t take it lightly.

It’s challenging but rewarding because when you get that phone call that a kid graduated, it makes it all worth while because of the privilege of helping kids made decisions that will impact the next 40 years of their life. It’s

not just about teaching them about basketball. They’re going to be husbands, fathers, ministers, councilmen, or policemen.”

Coming after Lipscomb, Thompson didn’t want to try to compare himself or try to live up to what the former Wheeler coach did.

He wanted to be a coach and a winner in his own right.

“Wheeler is a very rich basketball school,” Thompson said. “People always say it’s hard to come behind a legend but I never looked at it that way. I never felt like I had to do things like or because of Coach Lip. He was a great basketball coach when he was at Wheeler and did wonderful things with six championships and over 600 wins. That’s big time. But I looked at it as doing the best job for me and do things how they should be done. That’s just rolling up your sleeves and coming to work everyday. That will be the epitome of Wheeler basketball going forward. It’s all about the work.”

Thompson credited the 2020 state championship to the grittiness of the team with only one player in Samuel Hines Jr. being the only player to sign a Division I scholarship (University of Denver) while the team only made an average of 5 threes per game throughout the season.

“We were a tough defensive-minded group. We weren’t the most talented group with players but we would guard. On paper, people didn’t think we would be as successful as we were with one kid that signed a Division I scholarship in that 2020 class. It put another chip on the guys’ shoulder. We could defend with the best of them and opportunistic. We scored a ton of twos and didn’t hit a bunch of threes. Those guys bought into what we wanted to do and we got hot at the right moment and rode it.”

“I’m tough and I hold kids accountable,” Thompson said.

“I think that’s one thing as a society that we got to do a better job of. I don’t sugarcoat for them or let them give me half effort. Uncoachable players become unemployable adults and I try to instill that kind of work ethic in each kid. You can’t have bad energy and be more selfless. It’s non-negotiable. When you make yourself less important in the situation is when good teams become great.”

Having success before he got to Wheeler, he knew what it took to win.

Besides picking up wins and championships, he wants people to remember him for having his players be selfless teammates.

“Coming behind Coach Lip is the best of both worlds because I’m a competitor. I won in my previous stop at Greenforest so I had the taste of success and knew what I took to win at that level. Lip won on a bigger level in a higher classification of high school basketball and I understood that. I want to leave the same legacy in having a championship program accustomed to winning and working. If I was to have to retire or leave the game right now, I would hope people say my kids played hard and for each other. If they say those things, that’s bigger than a championship and I’m cool with that.”

He would acknowledge his hardnosed coaching style in making sure that he instills the value of keeping real with his players and always come ready for work.

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Double Trouble Packer Two-Sport Star A Problem For Opponents in Baseball And Football Written by: Kaitlyne Piper Photography by: Jill Stringfellow and Amanda Moore

Two-sport athletes always get stuck choosing between their two beloved sports. For Pershaun Fann Jr. he believes keeping both sports in his life is important.

He is a junior at Colquitt County High School where he participates in both football and baseball. Fann has already received some college offers and he is high on coaches’ radars for both sports.

“I’m always working on both sports since I see my future career playing both,” said Fann.

He goes on to say that the two sports have taught him to be mentally tough and to respect the game. Fann says this reflects in his life because if you want respect from others you have to show that you respect them first.

These are very wise words coming from a

young athlete.

Fann is going into his senior year where his mind and health must remain top quality for scouts to see.

He states that it does get difficult trying to balance playing the two sports along with keeping up with schoolwork, but he loves both sports too much to quit.

Although playing two sports is tough “it teaches you how to take care of your body by getting the rest that you need and the nutrients you need for your body to refuel”, says Fann.

As a baseball player, Fann plays centerfield and occasionally pitches. He is also a left-handed hitter and pitcher, something that is considered uncommon in baseball.

When it comes to football, Fann is extreme-

ly versatile; he plays linebacker, outside and inside, and safety.

Fann loves both sports, but he does prefer baseball, as it was the one that he first fell in love with.

“I love baseball more since it’s more of a mental game than football.”

In the terms of baseball, Fann says it is preparing him for future conflicts.

The fact that baseball is more mental means “you have to have mental toughness and strength to forget and move on from the bad” says Fann.

This will help him not hold grudges in games and in life, which in turn will make him a better player and person.

Then with football

he says you can be mad and then express your emotions by hitting someone.

Each sport teaches Fann how to be prepared, but he prefers the mental approach to sports and life.

Fann combines the two sports by having the same jersey number, 13.

His reason for this is because of the bible verse Philippians 4:13 which states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Fann mentions that he also gains strength from his biggest supporters who are “without a doubt” his family.

“My mom, dad, and brother have all been there for me through this entire journey.” Fann Jr. could only keep saying one good thing after the next about his family.

He goes on to tell how his parents have put in much time and money into making his dreams become a reality.

He does want to thank the teammates he has met over the past few years for their support.

“Each sport has brought a group of different friends that have created unforgettable bonds.”

Being a junior his stats are quite great.

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Fann obtained 67 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and one pass deflection in only ten games. This gained him first team All-Region 1-7A. As a sophomore he received an honorable mention for football.

Also, for baseball as a freshman Fann made first team All-Region.

Fann hopes his future will contain both football and baseball. Even if his future does not include Major League Baseball (MLB) or the National Football League (NFL) he wishes to pursue a career in the medical field to be a psychiatrist.

Considering Fann already focuses on the mental aspect of sports and life being a psychiatrist seems like a perfect addition to his life.

Pershaun Fann still has another year to go before his career in sports or psychology is fully set in motion, but he remains thankful for the opportunities that his two loved sports have given him – from the mental challenges to the physical ones.

A Travel Baseball Podcast

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Valdosta Middle School Standout Focuses Efforts on Baseball

Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Micki K Photography

Growing up in Valdosta, Georgia, Cason Fletcher played baseball, basketball, and of course, football.

That all changed about two years ago when the Valdosta middle schooler decided that it was baseball he wanted to do full time.

It may have had something to do with his family, and being the product of a dad who was a baseball player. Cason’s Dad, Scott Fletcher played football and baseball for Valdosta High School.

He played on the 1998 State Championship football team, and baseball for the Wildcats. He too determined that baseball was his sport, and went on to play collegiately at Darton College, plus two years with 48 | itgnext.com

the Blazers at Valdosta State University.

Scott agrees that Cason probably undoubtedly got the baseball genes from him.

“He used to play multiple sports, but about two years ago he switched to baseball only. He now plays year-round,” says Scott.

In addition to his baseball-loving Dad, Cason also has another family member that knows a little something about baseball. His uncle is none other than Buster Posey, the Lee County graduate, who went on to play at Florida State University, and who now plays professionally for the Major League San Francisco Giants, and is a six-time All-Star.

“I can play anywhere on the field, and I can pitch, also.”

— Cason Fletcher

Scott says that before COVID, Cason would get the opportunity to travel out to the west coast to visit his famous uncle during home stands, and that was an exciting time for Cason. It also showed him that even pro ball players are just regular people just like him.

“Cason got to play wiffleball with the guys out there, which was a lot of fun,” said Scott.

There’s no guarantee that Cason will grow up to play professionally like his famous uncle, but he sure has a good start.

First of all, Cason loves the game.

“He never grows tired of playing,” says Scott.

“Even after a game or practice, he will be there waiting on me when I get home from work.”

Cason stays busy, playing for both the Valdosta Middle School team, as well as his travel ball team, 5-Star National. He bats leadoff for his travel ball team while hitting third in the order for his middle school team.

As far as in the field, he plays shortstop and pitches, but Cason says he feels like he can play just about every position.

“I can play anywhere on the field, and I can pitch, also,” he says.

Feeling like you can play anywhere on the field comes with the confidence of knowing you are a good player, which his dad says is important, as long as you keep things in perspective.

“We talk a lot about being confident, but there’s a difference be-

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tween confidence and being cocky” says Scott.

“We don’t like being cocky. The number one thing on our list is to make sure Cason stays grounded and stays humble. We want him to play with ‘swag’ as we call it. That’s playing with confidence without having the arrogance.

Sometimes you get the best of your opponent, and sometimes they get the best of you. But, win or lose, you’ve got to always show good sportsmanship, and that’s what we as parents and coaches work with him on,” says Scott, who, along with Jason Grubbs coaches Cason’s travel ball team.

Scott says there is one other person who really plays a big role in making sure their son stays grounded, and that’s Cason’s mom Lindsey.

“I couldn’t do it without her. She is our rock.

She really pushes both of our boys, while at the same time making sure they stay grounded,” says Scott.

That other boy is Cason’s little brother, Cole.

“He plays travel ball too, but he’s a different personality than Cason,” says Scott about his sons.

Scott says that while many kids will shy away from their school baseball teams to focus just on travel ball, Cason wants to continue to play for his middle school team.

“He wants to play for and represent his school,” says Scott.

Cason’s middle school coach, Cason Mobley, is certainly glad that he made that decision.

“Cason is the epitome of an all-around great person and player,” says Mobley.

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The coach continues: “He is an extremely skilled baseball player, and is also learning how to become a better leader, too. His hunger and desire to constantly get better is what makes him good and will eventually make him great. He is willing to put in the extra work when everyone else is satisfied.”

The coach says it's not just the God-given athletic ability that makes Cason special, but it's his mental make-up that sets him apart from the rest. “Cason has one of the best baseball IQ’s in young middle school player that I have ever coached.”

Valdosta Middle School Athletic Director Clay Brandinger says “Cason’s work ethic is what stands out.

While other kids are playing video games or texting friends, he is taking grounders and getting in extra cuts in the batting cage.”

There’s little doubt that Cason is well in his way to perhaps becoming a great baseball player at the high school level and beyond.

If he is able to make it as far as his uncle Buster Posey has, he’ll remember what he always taught by his parents: Be confident, but stay humble.

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MOVING ON UP Written by: Gerald Thomas, III Photography submitted by: Josh Crawford

Josh Crawford has made his stops in his coaching career.

The offensive mind has been with five different programs during his quest to move up in the coaching ranks.

Crawford has spent time with Greater Atlanta Christian, Jefferson County (FL), Colquitt County, Lee County and Valdosta.

He has picked up three state championships with the 2014 and 2015 Colquitt County Packers and 2017 Lee County Trojans.

These different places that he’s been has put together a good base of coaches whose programs he’s helped guide as he heads to Western Kentucky University to be the outside receivers coach.

“Part of the reason I feel like I’m at Western Kentucky is because I’ve been very fortunate in my coaching career to be at some great programs that I felt really gave me a good foundation from a coaching standpoint,” Crawford said. “I also got connected with head coaches who have built championship programs. I learned how to do things the right way in every standpoint. In 2010, I got my coaching career started at Greater Atlanta Christian under Tim Cokely who’s won five state championships. I learned spread and pro-style early on and they were pivotal as I developed my own offensive philosophy. In 2013, our defensive coordinator Vic Culley got the head coaching job at Jefferson County in Florida and brought me on as Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. From there, I went to Colquitt County from 2014 to 2016 and got an opportunity to work with Coach (Rush) Propst and was apart of two state championships and a national championship. I moved on to Lee County with (Dean) Fabrizio in 2017 and coached receiver and was the pass game coordinator. We also won the state championship there. It was neat to be a part process and win another championship. In the 2018 season, I got the chance to work for Alan Rodemaker at Valdosta who also won a state championship. That place put me on a platform because I got the opportunity to coordinate at the highest level in Georgia. Prior to going to WKU, I spent the 2020 season at Colquitt County as 52 | itgnext.com

Assistant Head Coach and Co-Offensive Coordinator. I’ve been really blessed in my career to be under some really good head coaches that established winning traditions. It allowed me to develop a good network.”

Crawford has never been the type to be comfortable with being complacent and in one place so when it comes down to him deciding on where he goes next, he looks as it from every single aspect.

“Success doesn’t happen from just sitting on your hands.

Any place that I went to, I tried to be intentional about growing and developing my career to eventually be a successful head coach. I look to see if it’s a place where people are growing and going. I want to work with people that are as driven and have a sense of urgency of the job that they do and how they handle business. If the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to have a good name to get recommended because of the program that I was in and my influence in the results we had.”

Though he wants to move up and eventually be a head coach, Crawford knows that a trait of a good leader is to be a good follower too along with being open to knowledge.

“I was able to get my Masters Degree from the University of Georgia in Public Administration and Organizational Theory.

One of the things that we studied was the idea of followership.

Everybody always talks about the leaders. But we would never know their names if it wasn’t for the first person that took that first step to follow behind them and all of a sudden, a group of people creates a platform for that person. I’ve tried to be a sponge and learn being around other coaches and not worry about how I’m getting the next opportunity.”

Crawford takes his family into consideration in every decision that he makes. So when it came time for him to decide if he would head 800 plus miles from Moultrie to Bowling Green, Kentucky, he made sure that his wife supported the move before taking the job.

“There’s never been a decision made about a job without

discussing it with my wife. Any movement that I’ve ever made, I wanted there to be alignment between us because that’s so critical. My wife’s a school administrator and she’s been supportive of the things I’ve tried to do and vice versa. I make sure it’s a decision that would be beneficial for the both of us. We make sure the move will benefit us as a family and moving to the college level came from me wanting year-round serious football. I had success at the high school level and now I want to see if it can be duplicated at the next. It was a pretty easy decision because it was the next step I wanted to take from a challenge and growth standpoint to continue to grow and improve as a coach. I would love to become a coordinator or head coach at this level but I know that depends on the success I have with the position I have now.”

As he is already at WKU, Crawford sees no big difference in coaching high school and college except for the full focus on football and being able to recruit.

“Nothing’s really different but two things. You have more time to focus on football. In high school, you’re going to have classroom responsibility or lunch duty. And obviously you get to recruit and choose the players that you want. Everybody that’s here is going to be a choice that you made. As far as the coaching aspect, the process that you go through with developing game plans or installment, it’s been no different from other places I’ve been. Dealing with the kids is the same. This is a relational business. A good coach is a good leader and a good leader can get people to move in the desired direction in any aspect on and off the field. You have to set the standard for them as a coach. I’m not coaching here any different than I did on the high school level. These kids are a little bit older but not that much.

You want to apply pressure but you also want to give them support and that’s the type of coaching style that I always try to lead with to meet and exceed expectations.”

Crawford will make his debut as the Hilltoppers’ outside receivers coach with they host UT Martin on September 4 to kick off their 2021 season in Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

The Push for Instant Replay in High School Football Written by: Dhruv Mohan Hillgrove versus McEachern in 2019. Parkview versus Archer in 2018. Peach County versus Calhoun in 2017. Those three games are the perfect advocates for the institution of instant replay in Georgia high school football.

Hillgrove lost on the last play of the game as quarterback Matthew McCravy dove for the right pylon and seemed to score the go-ahead touchdown, only for a referee to mark him out of bounds at the 1. Several TV angles showed that McCravy stretched the ball over the pylon for the score.

Parkview, mounting a late drive in the playoffs, converted a long fourth down, only to have forward progress marked short of the first down marker. Several TV angles showed that the first down was made.

Peach County completed a pass on fourth and 8 with the receiver clearly establishing control of the ball and then diving for the pylon and losing the football as he hit the ground. Officials shockingly ruled the pass incomplete. Several TV angles showed that the pass was clearly complete.

These calls come to mind easily because they negatively affected the outcome. However, these mishaps occur more often than not and become forgotten many times because the team who had the call against them still won.

In the 2017 7A state championship, Colquitt County completed a low pass on fourth down to keep their final drive alive.

However, replay showed that the ball may have hit the ground, which would result in a turnover. Had North Gwinnett lost that game, this call would join others in history.

Just three years later, in the 2020 7A state championship, Collins Hill wide receiver Travis Hunter was robbed of a spectacular catch in the back of the endzone. While it likely would not have affected the result of the game, it still demonstrates a lack of solid officiating.

The push for instant replay grows every year, and the uproar its absence has caused in recent years is unlike any before.

While its benefits seem obvious, there are some other, lesser-known advantages. Instant replay can help ease pressure on referees, who can now be reassured that any potential misjudgements can be righted. It can also reestablish the public’s confidence in the officiating system statewide.

Most of all, it is simply the right thing to do. It is impossible to expect any person’s judgement to be impeccable, as mistakes are inevitable. Instant replay can simply serve as a guidance tool to learn from and to implement in critical times.

Texas has even used its instant replay system to confirm a state title-winning hail mary between North Shore and Duncanville.

Maybe it is time that Georgia does the same: implement replay for state championship games. Eventually, it could encompass the entire playoffs.

All that’s left is taking the first step in the right direction. Incorporating instant replay seems inevitable, so why not start now?

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Cali Conner Looks to Keep Digging at Santa Fe Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Micki K Photography

Cali Conner is the epitome of “student athlete.” In fact, it may be better to describe her as “Multi-Sport Student Athlete”. Ok, so while that phrase doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, it does sum up the Tift County senior.

Cali stays busy with her contributions to several teams across several sports, and even does modeling in her spare time. Cali plays basketball for the Lady Devils, she is a big part of the Tift County Volleyball team, and runs track for her school as well. With the Lady Devils basketball team, she plays guard and forward, where she has averaged 6.3 points per game over her career, including a 6.1 points per game average so far this season. Cali is known for her stellar defensive play, and was named the Region 1-AAAAAAA Defensive Player of the Year in her sophomore season, her first season as a full time starter. Cali was also named to the All-Region team the next season, as a junior. Cali has been a big part of the Lady Devils success, including their COVID-abbreviated season this year.

Her coach just happens to be her mom, Julie Conner, now in her 13th season as the Lady Devils head coach. She steps out of her mama shoes to talk about

Cali’s performance on the court, and what she brings to the team.

“Cali is one of the hardest working athletes that I’ve ever coached.

She is a true competitor, and will do everything in her power to help her team win,” says Conner. “Cali is an incredible athlete, and a great team player.”

The coach says Cali does the little things that may not always make the stat box, but goes a long way towards helping her team win games.

“Cali plays tough defense, and does so many things that don’t always get noticed in the box score as much as the points. But, her contributions are just as important,” says Conner.

She adds that Cali is called on to guard the opponents best offensive player. Tift County has just completed the regular season, finishing with an 11-2 overall record and 4-2 in region play. That included an incredible 7-1 road record. The Lady Devils will now prepare for the post season, and Cali’s defensive prowess will be counted on to help lead her #7th ranked team in the playoffs.

On the volleyball court, Cali’s contributions have been just as impressive, if not more. She was a big part of many firsts for the Tift County volleyball team, including their first region championship ever in their brief existence, helping guide them to a 32-4 overall record, including a 9-1 region finish. This was Tift’s best finish in their eight years of having a volleyball team. Another first was Tift hosting a state playoff game for the first time ever. Cali’s efforts helped Tift advance to the sweet 16, where their magical season came to and end. Still, Cali’s efforts were recognized once again, as she was named the Region 1-AAAAAAA Player of the Year.

Her coach, Caleb Dawson, talks about Cali and her contributions.

“Cali is the type of athlete that every coach dreams of, and she is the most skilled player I have ever coached,” says Dawson. “Her work ethic is second to none, and her drive is unmatched." Dawson says he first saw Cali play when she was just an eighth grader. “I had actually just started the Tift middle school program, and that was Cali’s first time playing the sport. She fell in love with volleyball and became a very good player and an incredible self-motivator,” says Dawson.

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He says players like Cali only come around every now and then.

“Cali is the type of athlete every coach dreams of having on their team.”

Because of her outstanding play this season, as well as her entire high school career, Cali caught the attention of the coaches at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, where she has accepted a scholarship offer to attend school and play volleyball for the Saints.

But, as Cali explains, it almost didn’t happen.

“They had been talking to me, but they hadn’t offered anything. I was in Florida, and decided I would call the coaches to see if I could come tour the campus, and they said sure thing, come on over. So, I met with the staff, and they took me and showed me around the school. It went well, and I really enjoyed the school and the people. Everyone made me feel very welcomed there,” she said.

But, Cali left without an offer.

“The coach was very honest with me. He told be that because of COVID, many of the seniors were taking their extra year of eligibility, and he wasn’t sure if he had anything for me,” Cali recalls.

She says she left Santa Fe not really knowing if her opportunity would happen. Then, a few days after returning home, she got a call from the Santa Fe coaches.

“They told me to check my e-mail. When I did, I opened up the file and saw they were offering me a scholarship to come to school there and play volleyball. I was so thrilled,” Cali says. “It was definitely prayers answered.”

Cali is also in her second year of playing Club soccer with Tallahassee Volleyball Academy. She competes in weekend tournaments with the club team, and attends two practices each week, making the drive from Tifton. Completing the trifecta of sports at Tift County is track, which Cali has participated in since middle school. Her specialty in track is the high jump, but she’s also done pole vault, sprints, relays, and the long jump. Her mom, Julie, says that Cali loved hurdles also, but had to stop after tearing her ACL during her sophomore season.

In addition to the full slate of sports that’s taken up almost every waking minute of her life as a high school student, there’s still another talent that Cali has enjoyed. She has modeled for Michelle’s Formal Wear of Adel.

So, perhaps the multi-talented athlete can trade in the jerseys and sneakers for evening dresses and high heels once her sports days are done.

But, don’t expect that to happen anytime soon.

This girl’s still got a lot of kills and digs left in her.

“Her work ethic is second to none, and her drive is unmatched."

— Caleb Dawson

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Brantley County Rising Star is All Over the Field Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Brandon Pham

Brantley Head Football Coach Geoff Cannon remembers the players started calling him that,” she said. when he first saw Kellon Middleton on the football field.

As far as his exploits on the football field, Kellon has used “I was attending the middle school game to watch my his speed to wow his opponents, and his own coaches and son Kirkland play, and that was the first time I had seen Kelteammates. lon play. He was the star player as an 8th grader, and you “Kellon is our fastest guy, I believe,” says Cannon. “He could see just how raw his talent was”, said coach Collins. had a big 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last year It wasn’t long after that when the head coach would vs. Berrien. I mean, he really kicked in the after burners on get to see Kellon in action as his that one.” coach.

Even though this past year “Kellon has always been really fast. I “In 2019, we were playing remember they used to call him the ‘backdoor wasn’t the best season for the Bradwell Institute in the spring bandit’ when he played basketball. He was Herons, it was a year that Kellon game. Kellon was a rising really developed and gained a lot really fast on the court, and would sneak up 9th grader in football terms, but of experience. at the time of the spring game behind players and steal the ball from them.

“We went through a major redate, Kellon was still just an So, the players started calling him that.” building season last year,” says —Kristi Middleton Cannon. “Kellon was our go to 8th grader. I’m standing there thinking that I’ve got an 8th gradguy in every area. He never came er out there playing against a class 6A team,” says Canoff the field. He played just about every snap as a defennon.” But he held his own with those guys with no probsive back on defense and as a slot receiver/running back lem.” on offense. He returned kicks and punts for us.”

Kellon has always lived in Brantley County. He is the son Cannon said it was hard finding time to give him a of Lance and Kristi Middleton, and has three older siblings. breather.

Landon and Hayden are his older brothers, and his sister is “The biggest challenge for us as a staff was trying to Sydney, who plays tennis and runs track at Brantley. figure out how to rest him.”

His mother says his dad and brothers are a big reason Another challenge that Cannon faces heading into this for Hayden’s athletic abilities. season will be where Kellon best helps the team.

“He was always in the yard with his dad and his broth“My job is to find out which position he can help us the ers. They did a lot to help him toughen up,” she says. most,” says the head coach. “We have used him just about While playing with his friends and family helped the everywhere except at quarterback. The exception was tough side of Kellon, it was a God-given ability that may when we used him in wildcat formations.” said Cannon. be Kellon’s top weapon...and not just on the football field.

But, don’t be surprised to see Middleton line up there “Kellon has always been really fast. I remember they or anyone else this season. used to call him the ‘backdoor bandit’ when he played basketball. He was really fast on the court, and would sneak up behind players and steal the ball from them. So, ITG Next | 57

A Winning Culture Written by Gerald Thomas, III Photography submitted by: Chan Brown

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Win championships.

That’s what goes on at Parkview High School baseball.

The Panthers have racked up eight state championships and three national championships on the mound.

Head Coach Chan Brown has been the leader to capturing five state rings and all three Natty’s for the Panthers.

Brown is no stranger to the Lilburn area, growing up five miles away in Tucker before leaving town to play baseball and eventually begin his coaching career.

“I’m from Tucker, Georgia which is down the road from Lilburn and Parkview so I knew the area growing up. I played down in Tampa at Hillsborough and came back to finish playing at Georgia State. Then I went around the state a little bit. My first coach-

ing and teaching job was at Burke County in Waynesboro. From there I went to Elbert County to take my first ed. job for four years. I had a brief stint at Northwest Whitfield and then came to Parkview in 2003 and been here ever since.”

Motivated by his high school coaches, Brown knew that he wanted get into coaching.

So he would take the education career path in order to start his profession.

“My high school baseball and football coaches had a big influence on my life at Tucker,” Brown said. “I love the game and being around it. During the course of my playing career I knew that I wanted to be a coach so I got into the educational field and the rest is history.”

Part of the reason of choosing Parkview was Brown’s wife, Teaneal

wanting to leave the Dalton area to head to Atlanta. This was paired with Chan wanting to learn behind the legendary Hugh Buchanan, who won three state championships and 12 region champions before heading to do work for Major League Baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves.

“I had just been married and we were in Dalton, Georgia. My wife wanted to get back to the Atlanta area and Coach Buchanan had an opening so we talked and I thank God we did. Once I got here, I realized how special Parkview is. It’s a great place to work, a great school, and great community. It’s a lot of hardworking and blue-collar families around us so you get that back from the kids. It’s a special place.”

Once Buchanan retired from coaching in 2004, Brown was called up to the mound to take over.

He would be the second ever head coach for Parkview baseball.

Leading his team to five championships, every single one has its own dynamic that made it special.

Brown would look to his players as the leading force of the Panthers’ success.

“It goes back to the kids because they respond well to working hard, putting in hours, and understanding the grind they have to go through to win championships,” Brown said. “To win championships, you got to have that community and administrative support behind you. I’ve been fortunate to formulate a good coaching staff through the years.

The formula that we have is working. Along the way you got to have some luck.”

2011 would be the first taste of a championship that Brown would get as a head coach and then came four more.

“2011 was my first state championship as a head coach. We actually started off losing like seven games at the beginning of the season and wasn’t going down the road of success,” he said. “We had about

a four hour practice in Valdosta, Georgia after a tournament we were in and it turned the tides then we went on to win 26 games in a row. That group was a really young team with a lot of sophomores starting. We went back-to-back in 2012.

2015 was a team that only lost two games all year. We went a way for a couple years then in 2018 and 2019 were really good groups with a lot of talent. We honestly though we would’ve threepeated last year before we lost the year due to COVID. So we’re still trying to threepeat and be the first 7A school to ever do that. Every championship brings its own special feel.”

With six out of 13 Class of 2021 seniors heading off to play college baseball, Brown is all about building transparency with players and giving them a home-like haven.

“A head coach sometimes have to be harder on the players than an assistant coach so you have some ‘good cop, bad cop’ situations. We try to have a very open relationship with our players so they can come to us to talk whenever they need to. We run our program off of tough love but they know that we’re there for them and love them very much at the end of the day. We

want Parkview baseball to feel like a second home to them. The 2018 state championship was supposed to be played at the University of Georgia but it got rained out so it ended up being played at Parkview. We had 28 alumni players in the dugout during the championship. The environment and chemistry that we create and the bond of knowing that we have their best interest in mind brings people back all the time.”

Once Brown walks away from Parkview and the game of baseball, he wants to be remembered for coming in and working on the growth of his players and himself with winning being secondary to that.

“I just hope that people remember that I showed up everyday and put my heart and soul into this program and the kids. It was all about the kids for us. We’ve been very fortunate to win and that would probably be the last part that I would really care about.

It’s more about the relationship with the kids.”

The Panther will be on their quest to threepeat as GHSA 7A state champions in the 2021 season.

ITG Next | 59

COMMITTED

Walton | Shortstop 60 | itgnext.com

ITG Next | 61

Breaking your humerus isn’t funny. { We fix broken bones. }

Breaking your arm is no laughing matter. But when it happens, we’ll get you up and laughing again – fast.

62 | itgnext.com

912-417-5423 I sghs.org/summit

FRESH(MAN) OUT THE GATE Written by: Gerald Thomas, III Photography by: Brandon Pham

It didn’t take very long for Frederica Academy running back Jordan Triplett to make his mark for the Knights.

The freshman rusher made it known that he is the real deal in his first 13 high school games.

Triplett would take off for 1,775 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, leading the Knights to a 9-4 record and a GISA 3A state championship appearance.

“It was by far the most fun I had playing football.

Our team was the state-runner up. The guys on our team are amazing and they treated me like a freshman. They made it hard for me, as they should’ve.

That’s why I had a productive season. They made me into man and showed me how to act on and off the field.”

His season earned him honors of: MaxPreps Freshman All-American, GISA All-State, and GISA 2-3A All-Region.

“It makes me want to work harder because I know that I’m so close getting to pay off college. That’s the dream right now and I know I have a lot of work to do,” Triplett said.

Though he appreciates the recognition that he’s received, he wants his entire team to shine and get back to the state title game, but win next time around.

“If I don’t have the stats and recognition next season, that’s ok. Going out there and helping my team win a state championship would make me happier than having 2,000 yards.”

Frederica Head Coach Brandon Derrick knew acknowledged how coachable Jordan is along with seeing his confidence grow as the season progressed after their senior running back would have miss two months of football with a leg injury.

“Jordan is probably one of the most coachable kids in our program. He takes everything you say and works on it daily. When he came in early, he tried to outrun the edge, but as the season wore on, he began to get more confident to pound teams inside. The staff knew he could play but when our senior tailback Kyle Perez went down in game three with a broken leg, the workload shifted to Jordan and he handled it extremely well. I felt like our running game was going was going to be really good during the summer because we had four seniors on the offensive line and two seniors lead blocking out of the backfield.”

ITG Next | 63

Home-Schooled Students Could Play Public School Sports Written by: Reagan Cofield

Leaving St. Simons Island for a stint, Triplett would go to Colorado for a couple years.

“The heat and the elevation was the major difference,” he said. “I think there was at least two or three times a year that school was cancelled because of a blizzard. It’s freezing there. Coming down here to the heat was nice but it was a change.”

Being so young, Triplett makes sacrifices to put in time off the field in order to improve his game.

“Most of my life has been dedicated to football. In the past year, I’ve been invited to parties and to hang out with people and I’ve turned them all down just to go work out. People have made fun of me for working out on a Friday night. I don’t want to give up time that I could be working,” he said.

This type of preparation gives Coach Derrick the notion of the high potential that Jordan has.

“He separates himself from other players that I have coached because of his relentless effort in the weight room and conditioning. He is always preparing for what’s next. He studies the game, asks questions but he never takes any credit for his performance and thanks his teammates. His ceiling is really high due to his maturity but is work ethic will push him through and make him a difference maker. He has the level headedness to play on a D1 level because he is a great student as well as a player.”

Triplett his making sure to stay on his schoolwork and pair it with football as he knows that he won’t be able to take his game to the next level if one falls by the wayside by the time he graduates in 2024.

“I want to be able to pay off college and not have to take out a loan or rely on my parents. I’m trying to perfect both on and off the field. I want to end out with a really high GPA and get into a good school to pay off college.”

When his time is done at Frederica, he wants people to remember him as someone that was trustworthy during his time at the school.

“I want to be remembered as a hard worker and a good teammate that can be relied on in the classroom and the field.”

64 | itgnext.com

Home-schooled students in Georgia may soon get the opportunity to compete on their local public school sports team.

If Senate Bill 51 is passed, home-schooled students in grades 6-12 may participate in sports, the arts such as band and drama, and other clubs as long as they are enrolled in at least one online class that is offered through their local public school system.

The Senate Education and Youth Committee voted 7-2 in support of the bill on Feb. 17, and it will now continue on in the Senate for further debate.

Robin Hines, executive director of the GHSA, expressed to the committee that passing the bill would “provide opportunities for young people.”

Hines also stated that with the current state of education due to the coronavirus pandemic, “it’s not a far leap” to allow students who traditionally are enrolled in virtual classes to participate in extracurricular activities.

Georgia has the chance to join 25 other states in allowing home-schooled students to be a part of activities and sports.

Most of these bills are nicknamed “Tim Tebow bills” after the former University of Florida quarterback who was home-schooled while playing football for a Floridian public school.

Georgia’s version of the bill is named after Dexter Mosley, a father of six home-schooled athletes, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 51.

Students would participate in clubs and sports for the local public school in which they are zoned and must be selected for teams through a normal tryout process along with traditional students.

“This is not just a sports bill,” said Cole Muzio, executive director of the Family Policy Alliance of Georgia. “This is a bill to end discrimination in our state against home school students and allow them to participate in all extracurricular activity only available at their public school.”

Much of the pushback from Georgia schools has been due to potential costs, taking spots on teams away from traditional students, and the uncertainty over how to discipline a homeschooled student.

Requiring a student to enroll in at least one online course facilitated by their local public school resolves the issue, as it ensures the student must adhere to the school’s student code of conduct.

“It’s time for us (Georgia) to move in this direction,” Hines said.

Hines said the GHSA is not fully on board with the move, citing the need for local schools to maintain power in deciding the ways homeschooled students are allowed to participate.

BASEBALL COMMIT

West Laurens | Wide Receiver/Pitcher ITG Next | 65

Jake’s Journey Written by: Phil Jones | Photography Submitted: Randy & Yvonne Garcia

The Jake Garcia journey that took him from Southern California to Georgia, and eventually to South Florida and the University of Miami is truly the kind of story that is what fairy tales are made of.

The only thing is, this is no tale. It’s all very real – every minute of it, every stunning low moment and moments of elation for Jake and his family.

Jake was born and raised in the Southern California town of Whittier, and like most top recruits, grew up playing football. His parents are Randy and Yvonne Garcia, and as you’ll see in the story that follows made sacrifices for their son to hopefully help him realize his eventual dream of playing for and winning a high school state championship.

According to Jake, winning a state championship was his number one goal, and something he thought about night and day.

“I thought that I would win a state championship right away. It was my main focus,” said Jake.

Jake’s first high school was Long Beach Poly, where he attended as a freshman, and sat behind starter Matt Corral, now the Ole Miss signal caller.

He would transfer to Narbonne High School, where he played his 66 | itgnext.com

sophomore season. His led his team into the playoffs, where they advanced to the state regional game. With his team trailing by three points, they had the ball at their own 20-yard line with less than three minutes remaining in the game. Jake would lead his team on a long drive, getting them within field goal range. But, seeing an opportunity to go for the win, Jake threw for an open receiver in the back of the end zone, but it was intercepted.

Any hope for that state championship was gone.

“I was devastated,” admits Jake. “We had a great chance, and I had to live with that interception the whole offseason.”

Jake still had his junior season coming up, and would once again see light at the end of the tunnel. With his team rolling along undefeated at 9-0 and looking at a #1 seed heading into the playoffs, the team was notified that they would not be eligible for the playoffs due to an ineligible player being used during the season, as well as charges of academic misconduct.

Just like that and once again, Jake’s hopes of a state championship would not happen.

But, there was still hope. One more chance.

Jake would transfer to La Habra High School for his senior season,

hoping for an opportunity to play for that state title. But, Jake would never take the field for La Habra.

COVID claimed the start of the season at La Habra, as well as the rest of the Golden State high school football season.

Jake’s mother Yvonne explains that Jake, her husband Randy, and Jake huddled up for their Hail Mary.

“Jake said lets leave the state, and I said, ‘go for it’. He wanted to play, and I wanted to see him play, even if it meant him and Randy leaving home.”

The Garcia family discussed going to nearby states, but Jake said let’s head to the south.

“I had asked a few college coaches, and there were several of them that suggested Valdosta High and Coach Propst,” recalls Jake. “I liked the idea of going out to the south. I had always thought they took their football very seriously in the south, and moving to Valdosta simply confirmed what I had thought,” said Jake.

The decision was made, and Randy and Jake arrived at Valdosta, where Jake enrolled in classes at Valdosta High School. Jake started the first game of the season, where he led the Wildcats to a come from behind win over Warner Robins High.

Jake was 1-0 as a starter at his new school,

and the path was clear once again for Jake to work towards his goal of a state championship. This wouldn’t be easy, though. Valdosta is a member of Class 6A, where some of the top programs in the state reside. Buford, Lee County, and Carrollton were three of the top programs that would stand in the way of Jake’s dream.

But, he always knew that reaching a state championship wouldn’t be easy, but at least he’d be able to have that opportunity now…or, so he thought. The word came in that the GHSA had ruled Jake ineligible at Valdosta due to an issue surrounding his parents and whether a separation the parents had was done for the sole reason of satisfying an archaic GHSA transfer rule that

said all members of a players family unit must move with the player in question. (The rule has since been changed in the GHSA bylaws).

The family appealed the ruling, but was denied.

Yvonne Garcia remembers that day.

“It was one of the worst days of my life,” she said. “We were doing everything we could for our son to play football, and to help him realize his dream of one day playing for a state championship, yet it was falling apart,” she said.

“I cried for two straight days. It was bad.”

Randy Garcia recalls looking at Jake and seeing the sadness on his son’s face.

“I just saw Jake and his look said everything,” he said. “I thought that was it. I really did.”

“I liked the idea of going out to the south.

I had always thought they took their football very seriously in the south, and moving to Valdosta simply confirmed what I had thought.”

— Jake Garcia

The road to Jake’s dream of playing for a state championship had seemingly come to an end.

There was no fork in the road. Just a road leading nowhere. Randy, Yvonne, and Jake began talking about Jake just going ahead and enrolling early in college and starting his college career. But, even that was now in question. Not that Jake couldn’t go somewhere and play, but the school that he had long ago committed to, USC, had announced the signing of another quarterback in Jackson Dart.

The Trojans and head coach Clay Helton had led Garcia to believe that he was their guy coming in to the 2021 class. According to Jake, it was not the additional competition that bothered him, but the fact that USC coaches had told him one thing and now were going in another direction, albeit without telling Jake up front about their intentions.

Since Jake had been in the south, the University of Miami began really turning up the heat on their recruitment of him. The ‘Canes fan base took to social media in an all-out attempt to sway the suddenly-southern QB to come just a little further south to Coral Gables.

Jake had a decision to make. Not about Miami – at least not now.

But, Jake still had that elusive state championship awaiting him out there…somewhere.

With his eligibility at Valdosta over and his days as a Wildcat player over and done with, did Jake and his family have anything in their playbook left to call?

The answer would come with that GHSA transfer rule. Yes, the same rule that had left Jake without a team

and his senior season hanging in the balance was now offering him hope. It turns out that Jake was able to turn right around and reapply for eligibility within another school district, as long as the family unit that resided with Jake now in Valdosta-which was Jake and his father Randy – was making a bonafide move to the new school district. After looking around and seeing where Jake may have a chance to come in and play, and would be accepted by a coaching staff, the new home for Jake was Grayson High School.

According to Randy, they found a home, followed all of the steps that were required, and off they were to another high school home for Jake.

What surprises would await Jake this time? You couldn’t blame him for looking over his shoulder. But, there was no need to worry. With the family down to their last play call, they called a Hail Mary, and connected on 4th and long.

Jake found a home at Grayson, and it would provide him the opportunity that he had long waited for.

Taking over at quarterback, Jake would lead the Rams to the Georgia Class AAAAAAA State Championship. His dream was fulfilled.

“It was all so surreal,” said Jake.

But, the dream wasn’t done. Not yet.

Jake decommitted from USC and announced he was signing with the University of Miami, where he is now enrolled and going through football team activities. Jake’s journey isn’t finished. It’s just beginning.

ITG Next | 67

THE JACK OF ALL TRADES Written by: Gerald Thomas, III Photography by: Brandon Pham

Arlis Sutton of Coffee County puts in the same amount of work on the field that he does off.

The 5 foot 11 inch, 200 lbs. defensive end is leaving behind a memorable legacy as his Trojan career came to an end this past fall in the GHSA 5A semifinals when his team fell a touchdown short to Cartersville.

He’s been a threeyear starter, getting the opportunity to play with his older brother, Herron and thankful for the experiences that the game of football gave him during his high school playing career.

“I got to play with my brother for his senior year and it was a big blessing. Growing up playing backyard football, you never think that you’ll have the chance to play at a varsity level with your big brother,” he said. “Some people think I’m the second best defensive end to 68 | itgnext.com

come through Coffee County but I don’t really speak too much on it because I just want to become the best man I can be by trusting in God, having faith in my teammates, and winning.

And we did a lot of winning. Even though we didn’t win the big one, it was a blessing to play in all those playoff games.”

Sutton’s desire for football came through video games, which would be the spark for his interest in the sport.

“My love for football started off with Madden 2005 with Ray Lewis on the cover for the Gamecube. Seeing him run guys in the ground made me think, ‘who wouldn’t want to do that?’ Football is a major stress reliever and don’t have any other distractions,” he said. “So after that, my mama put me into flag football for my elementary school because she was scared

of me getting hurt but I wanted to be hitting. But in middle school, I started playing contact and locked in at defensive end in seventh grade.”

The senior would be acknowledged as ITG Next’s Community Involvement Award for his work at local food banks in Douglas.

Sutton would have doubts if he could play football again after he suffered a torn ligament in his pelvic bone.

“My hip was hurting the practice before the game,” he said. “I was running the ball on an outside zone play during an away game and as I got to the 5-yard line, I heard a pop and fell to the ground. When the coaches came and checked on me, I couldn’t even talk because of how bad it was hurting. It was the worst bus ride ever. Every time the bus would jerk, it made it hurt more. I didn’t think I would play again because I was out for three months and

couldn’t even walk.”

Months after his injury, Sutton would go off to high school to begin his varsity career at Coffee where he would see team success early along with players that he could look up to.

“In 2017, we made it to the state championship game against Lee County. The defensive line we had was one of the best lines we had in history with Derick Newton, Javiontae Martin, Jordan Knight, and Josiah Killiebrew,” he said. “In my opinion, Newton is the best defensive lineman to come through Coffee County.

Rest in peace to him. It was a lot of weight on my shoulders coming behind them but pressure makes diamonds.”

Sutton’s Coffee County Head Coach, Robby Pruitt knew that he would be special soon as he stepped on campus.

“Arlis is super coachable and always picked up fast. Even as a young player he had great

explosion for a kid his size. He showed us early on that he had a motor and hustle. We knew he could really rush the quarterback.”

Becoming a starter in 2018 is where Sutton’s award career would start, claiming awards such as: All-Region 1-6A First Team DL, 2018 All-Region Sack Leader (8), GACA All-State Defensive Lineman, All-Region 1-5A First Team DL, Recruit Georgia’s Preseason All-State Honorable Mention, AJC All-State Honorable Mention.

He also participated in Olympic weightlifting where he was a two-time lifter of the year and medaled for third in the nation in Anaheim, California in 2019.

“I was an Olympic weightlifter for my high school career thanks to Coach Pruitt. It helped me get in shape and got me my speed.”

With weightlifting assisting his football career, Sutton has signed on to play for NCAA Di-

vision II’s Albany State University Golden Rams in college.

“ We i g h t l i ft i n g taught me to live in the moment because on the Olympic level, you only get three tries at the lift to qualify. It’s now or never,” he said. “I’m undersized and people ask all the time ‘Arlis why are you not going D1?’ and I’m like ‘hey I’m 5’11 and 200 lbs.’

I’m happy with what I can get and as long I can get to college free, I don’t really care about what ‘D’ it is.”

When Sutton got his first offer months before his senior year, it gave him more confidence to get offers in his final act at Coffee County.

“Reinhardt University offered me first over the summer and that helped me know that the work that I was putting in wasn’t in vain. Then I started getting more offers from University of the Cumberlands, Bethel University, and the University of Tusculum,” he said. “I was talking

with Kennesaw State and Georgia Southern and nothing ever came out of it but I appreciated D1 schools for considering me. I’m happy with the choice that I made. I just have to get used to playing the 15-minute quarters. I’m going to be playing the ‘Bandit’ position which is a linebacker and standup defensive end hybrid to rush passers or drop back in coverage like Khalil Mack.”

Welcoming Sutton to campus during his visit along with the campus was the deciding factor that drew him to choosing Albany State over Reinhardt, which were his top two options.

“Both Albany and Reinhardt showed me that I was going to be treated like family,” he said.

“The out of state schools were too far. When I visited Reinhardt, no students were really there because of the coronavirus so I couldn’t see the normal operations. I was set on Reinhardt for a minute but then Albany State offered me early in the season. I already saw about five percent of the campus from going to

a football camp there.

Then I went on a visit and it blew me away. It made me change my thoughts.

The staff was nice and made me feel like they wanted to be there. Then we went to East campus the next day and it was beautiful. I never saw nothing like it. They had a rock climbing building with a bowling alley and Chick-fil-A. The students seemed cool when I was in the lunch line. I really wanted something like I had at Coffee County High School and I had no questions after I left.”

Pruitt feels that his defensive end has a high ceiling if he puts the work in as he takes the next step to college.

“I think Arlis has a great chance to be a really good player. He needs to get bigger and taller but he will be as

strong as the players that are already there. His character will get him to where he needs to be.”

Sutton says every player has a genuine purpose of playing the game of football.

“Every single football player is playing for a reason. I wanted to play because I love the game, I see that I make my parents happy, and of course the girls start coming around a little bit,” he said with a laugh.

“Football helped develop me in being cool, calm, and collected in almost every situation.”

As Sutton leaves Coffee County behind and ventures to Albany State, he wants to be remembered the same

way for both institutions as always giving it all.

“I want people to think about me and be like, ‘wow, he gave it 100 percent.’ Everyone sees my willingness to compete and hit someone in the mouth. I’m a nice guy on and off the field because I’ll hit a quarterback then help him up. It has to be a certain level of etiquette while you’re playing. It’s a right way to do stuff. If you’re out there intentionally trying to hurt people, you shouldn’t be playing.

I want people to look at my name and think about No. 40 and all out effort every single play. I was a great team player and helped change our defense for the better by making everyone push themselves.”

ITG Next | 69

Berrien County Punter Follows in His Fathers Foot(ball) Steps Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Micki K Photography

Football fans like to focus on the quarterback, or the running back, or the wide receiver. These are the positions that people look at as the “glamorous” positions on the field. These are the guys that throw, catch and rush for big plays and touchdowns.

If you ask someone about that great punt, you’re likely to get a nod and a brief reply. But, anyone that knows football knows that the punter is as important as anyone on the team. In fact, a good punter can completely change the battle of field position for the opponent – this is called “flipping the field.”

Being a good punter means not only kicking the ball a long way for distance, but it also means kicking the ball a shorter distance, but with accuracy. You will see punters aim their punt towards the sideline. This allows the punter to kick away from the opponents return man, thus preventing a big return. So, as you can see, the punters job is a little more complicated than you may have previously thought.

One South Georgia high school football player is recognized as one of the best punters around. Hayden Futch punts for the Berrien High School Rebels.

He has been punting for Berrien High School since he arrived in Nashville in 2019 as a 9th grader. He punted for the junior varsity

Rebels his freshman season, but last season as a sophomore he appeared in every game. The rising junior is considered to be one of the top punters not only in South Georgia, but also across the entire state.

He was an All-Region 1-AA selection last season, and an AJC AllState selection. He received a 4-star ranking as a punter by Kohl’s, one of the top kicking and ranking services for kickers and punters across the Southeast and he attends several of the Kohl’s and other kicking camps around the country. Hayden also was selected to play in the 2020 Georgia Elite Classic All-Star game in Rome last season.

One thing about Hayden’s knack for punting begins to emerge when talking with his parents. His father, Matt Futch played for Rick Tomberlin’s Vikings from 1988 to 1991, and like his son, punted for Lowndes. The comparisons, however, don’t stop there. Matt Futch was an All-Region selection all three seasons when he played. So far, Hayden has just the one season as an All-Region performer, but still has the two remaining seasons to catch his father.

Hayden will have his father around as a constant reminder for the friendly family battle.

Turns out that Matt Futch is also Coach Futch, the special teams as well as receiver coach at Berrien County under head foot-

ball coach Tim Alligood.

He says that Dad was a big part of Hayden's development as a player.

“Coach Futch was a very good punter at Lowndes, so Hayden has received some really good coaching from an early age,” says Alligood. He continues, “Anytime you have a coach's son as one of your players its usually always a good thing.

Hayden is the kind of player that you love to have on your team,” says Alligood.

This past season, in his first full season as a starter with the varsity Rebels team, Hayden appeared in 9 games.

He punted 33 times with a net average of 35.3 yards per kick.

But, at his most recent Kohl’s camp, Hayden averaged 39 yards per punt with a 3.6 seconds hang time.

In that camps first punt competition, Hayden finished first with an outstanding 45yard punt, with a 4.2 seconds hang time. His coach seems to think that is a glimpse of Hayden's potential.

“I think with continued work, Hayden will be able to improve his average and hang time.

If he can consistently hit his ‘A’ ball, he will most definitely be on track for an average of 37 yards per punt,” says Matt.

Why 37 yards?

“That was my average,” Matt admits.

Like father like son.

“I think with continued work, Hayden will be able to improve his average and hang time. If he can consistently hit his ‘A’ ball, he will most definitely be on track for an average of 37 yards per punt.”

— Matt Futch

TOP OFFERS

Thomasville | Quarterback ITG Next | 71

Fellowship Christian Baseball Standout Draws Inspiration From "Hammerin Hank" Aaron Written by: Kaitlyne Piper | Photography Submitted: Larry Moore

“I know wherever I end up it to involve sports.”

72 | itgnext.com

In baseball the number ‘44’ resonates with the legendary Henry ‘Hank’ Aaron, but also, the up and coming David Bishop.

Bishop is a senior at Fellowship Christian High School who has just committed to Texas Christian University (TCU) on a baseball scholarship.

“It matched all of my interests,” said David Bishop.

Bishop mentions that TCU was a great choice for many reasons. The first being that the baseball program is a top-notch division one team being ranked tenth in NCAA. Second, he believes the program can help him develop tremendously as a shortstop. Other than the baseball aspect, he fell for the campus location and environment.

He plans to pursue a degree in something along the lines of sports management and or sports marketing.

“I know wherever I end up doing in life I want it to involve sports.”

Although Bishop is focusing on his future, he is thankful for his past, especially his personal moments including the Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

“He was an amazing man, took time out of his day to sign stuff for my family and talk about his career as a baseball doing in life I want player,” said Bishop when explaining how fortunate his family was able to talk with Aaron.

Bishop was young when he met Aaron but the stories he — David Bishop heard while growing up mean more to him as he continues his baseball career.

Hank Aaron was an African American baseball player who began in the Negro Leagues and made it all the way up to enduring 23 seasons as an outfielder for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. He was inducted into he Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Aaron achieved the career records of having a total of 755 home runs; this led the Major League Baseball (MLB) establishment to create a Hank Aaron award that fully honors the top hitter in the league.

“He talked about the struggles of being an African American during the time he played and how he would get death threats constantly.”

When Aaron was close to hitting his 714th home run, he received different types of responses from the people. Some were said to of given him congratulations while others would provide death threats. This was solely due to the fact that Babe Ruth’s home run record was 714.

Bishop acknowledges that he won’t face the same hardships as Aaron, but he believes it pushes him to preserver through anything.

His own favorite addition to his statistics is when he was a sophomore. It was during the playoffs when Bishop hit a homerun for his team. One that Hank Aaron and Bishops parents would have been proud of.

With the support of his parents this is definitely possible. His parents have always been there helping him achieve his dreams.

A few dreams of Bishops have already been fulfilled. For instance, during his sophomore year he hit a homerun during playoffs.

Competing is the main reason Bishop loves the game of baseball.

David Bishop has been given the chance to see baseball in all forms. From the eyes of Hank Aaron to his own about to play college ball at TCU. He is beyond grateful and excited for what is in store.

“I love everything about baseball,” says Bishop.

ITG Next | 73

Bainbridge

Offense: Rashad Broadnax Defense: Tahari Tate

Brookwood School

Offense: Nathan Yokley Defense: Ethan Myers (NP)

74 | itgnext.com

Brantley County

Offense: Kellon Middleton Defense: RJ Bryan Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

Brunswick

Offense: KJ Lee Defense: Amarion Whitfield Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

Brooks County

Offense: Nitavion Burrus Defense: J'shawn Baker Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Cairo

Offense: Brandon McClendon Defense: Ricky Walker Kevin Ross

CONGRATULATIONS

Camden County

Offense: Deonte Cole Defense: Hudson Tucker

Colquitt County

Offense: Xavier Williams Defense: Gamal Wallace Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Fitzgerald

Offense: Chance Gamble Defense: EJ Lightsey Irwin EMC

Clinch County

Offense: Marquavious Grady Defense: Tajuan Gordon Farmers and Merchants Bank

Crisp County

Coffee

Offense: AJ Wilkerson Defense: Arlis Sutton Woody Folsom CDJR

Dooly County

Offense: AJ Lofton Defense: Nick Mercer Crisp Regional

Offense: Jalen Hall Defense: Eric Ivory Jr. Crisp Regional

Frederica Academy

Glynn Academy

Offense: Jordan Triplett Defense: Josh Meadows Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

Offense: TJ Lewis Defense: Miles Smith Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

ITG Next | 75

2021 AWARDS BANQUET

Not Pictured Cook

Offense: Omar Pickett Defense: Kamerian Johnson

Irwin County

Offense: Gabe Benyard Defense: Garland Benyard Irwin County State Bank

McIntosh Co. Academy

Offense: Trenton Johnson Defense: Will Jones Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery

Perry

Offense: Makeil Kendrick Defense: Cameron Marshall

76 | itgnext.com

Lee County

Offense: Preston Simmons Defense:Baron Hopson

Mitchell County

Offense: Willie Williams Defense: Zayquavian Robinson Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Pierce County

Offense: DJ Bell Defense: Austin Jernigan

Crisp Academy

Offense: Baylor Pless Defense: Garrett Gravitt Crisp Regional

Lowndes

Offense: Jacurri Brown Defense: Thomas Davis Farmers and Merchants Bank

Pelham

Offense: Brantley Shiver Defense: Makiah Martin Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Thomas Co. Central

Offense: Tykeem Wallace Defense: Jordan Jones Dr. Ben Hogan

Not Pictured Houston County

Offense: Tyler Williams Defense: Jayleem Santos

Thomasville

Offense: Ronnie Baker Defense: Ty Anderson

Turner County

Offense: Elijah Stephens Defense: Keonvay Clark Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Veterans

Offense: Blake Ethridge Defense: Kamron Smith

Lanier County

Offense: Rashod Brockington Defense: Kartez Robinson

Tift County

Offense: Chrishon Stephens Defense: Tyre West (NP) Prince Automotive Group

Valdosta

Offense: Javonte Sherman Defense: Jaylin Alderman Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Warner Robins

Offense: Jalen Addie Defense: Ahmad Walker

Northside (WR)

Offense: Justin Luke Defense: Jai'Dyn Rumph

Tiftarea Academy

Offense: Jayk Sailer Defense: Ben Matt Prince Automotive Group

Valwood School

Offense: Harrison Hamsley Defense: Demetris Rosier

Worth County

Offense: Tayshaun Shipp Defense: Makyjhia Jordan Vereen Rehabilitation Center

OMARI ARNOLD

Brooks County High School

OFFENSIVE Players of the year Presented by

THOMAS DAVIS Lowndes High School

DEFENSIVE

Player of the year Presented by

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NOAH JONES

Cairo High School

SPECIAL TEAMS

Player of the year Presented by

HUDSON TUCKER

Camden County High School

FORWARD PROGRESS

Award

ITG Next | 79

JEFFREY BRYAN

Lee County High School

SCHOLAR ATHLETE

of the year

KENDARIUS REDDICK

Thomas County Central Middle School

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Player of the year

Presented by

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ARLIS SUTTON Coffee High School

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Award

Presented by

MARQUIS WESTBROOK Warner Robins High School

COACH

of the year

Presented by

ITG Next | 81

Get Caught Up in Wildcat Drama Written by: Phil Jones

Valdosta Board of Education Votes “No” on Rodemaker Lawsuit Settlement March 4, 2021 In a stunning decision during Wednesday’s special called midday meeting, the Valdosta City Schools Board of Education voted 4-3 against agreeing to settle the lawsuit brought forth by former head football coach Alan Rodemaker against the board. There was one abstaining vote from a board member.

The decision was a bit of a surprise, with the consensus of the public that an agreement had been litigated and was imminent. Now, attorneys on both sides will go back to the drawing board to decide what their next step is.

In a related story, the board announced earlier on Thursday that there would be yet another special called meeting, to be held on March 8 at 12:30 p.m. The agenda included in the announcement indicates personnel matters will be discussed. What or who the personnel are remains to be seen.

Rush Propst Placed on Administrative Leave March 10, 2021 According to sources close to the Valdosta High School football program, Wildcats head coach Rush Propst has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending further investigation. The move to place Propst on leave reportedly occurred during a meeting earlier today with Propst and Valdosta superintendent Dr. Todd Cason.

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Former Valdosta Touchdown Club Director Speaks Out March 11, 2021 In a recent interview with ITG Next, former Valdosta Touchdown Club Director Michael “Nub” Nelson talked about what led to his impromptu recording of a conversation between himself and Valdosta head football coach Rush Propst that has, in part, led to Propst being placed on administrative leave with pay, has left Nelson himself searching for a new job, and has the Wildcat football program and its supporters reeling from the fallout of it all.

Nelson, who had been with the Touchdown Club for a total of 17 years, including the last three as its paid director, said he became suspicious of comments Propst had made in front of the Touchdown Club’s board of directors about his vision for the group moving forward.

“We had invited Rush to come meet them (board of directors) at the museum on the night of May 15,” Nelson said. “Rush was talking about how he wanted to organize the club, and it just became this convoluted and very involved process, and there were some things said that I didn’t like very much.”

According to Nelson, he went to Propst’s office that next morning (May 16) to talk more about the ideas and plans that Rush had discussed the previous night. It was then that Nelson made his decision to capture their conversation with the recording.

“I decided right there that I would record our conversation, but I also didn’t try to hide it,” Nelson said. “I took my phone out and set it on my lap and hit record.”

Nelson said that after he and Propst talked about the Touchdown Club for about 1015 minutes, Propst got up from his desk and closed his office door. Then began the now much-publicized conversation of, among other things, the “funny money.” Nelson said that was the first time he heard that level of detail of Propst’s plans.

“That was really the first time I had heard him talk about those things like that,” Nelson said. “I was shocked at the level he wanted to run this thing. It was just unbelievable.”

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ITG Next | 83

Fitzgerald | Running Back/Linebacker 84 | itgnext.com

South Georgia Sports Academy • Focus #1 – player development at a young age • Hire the best coaches available who have the greatest knowledge • Compete against the best competition we can find • Winning is important but not the major factor in development • Challenge kids to become the best they can • Failure is our best coach • Provide quality travel ball opportunities for players here in South Ga without having to play for a team in metro Atlanta or Florida

• Type of player we’re looking for: those who are committed to improving their game, are coachable, want to play against the best competition available, and are interested in becoming the best player that they can be • We will employ coaches with the same beliefs that we have • End goal – High school and college opportunities

New Rules for GHSA Pitchers in COVID-19 Era Written by: Reagan Cofield

Like all sports in the fall and winter, guidelines have been put in place for spring sports due to COVID-19. New rules for GHSA pitchers, as stated in the Baseball Rules Modifications document on the GHSA website, include pitchers being “prohibited from licking fingers, touching any part of their hands to the mouth, or blowing into their hands before delivering a pitch.”

If a pitcher does any of these motions, the ball will be removed from play, and the pitcher’s hands will be sanitized. The first violation constitutes a warning, while further violations will count as a defensive conference.

Top 3 Uncommitted 2021 Basketball Recruits Written by: Matthew Melton

The high school basketball Class of 2021 has the potential to be one of the best in recent memory. While most of the highly rated players in this class are already committed to where they will play college ball, there are a few players in the top 10 overall still with decisions to make: a generational type talent, talented scorers, and a dominant big man. Let’s take a look at the top 3 uncommitted 2021 basketball recruits.

Chet Holmgren – Minnehaha Academy (MN) Regarded as the top overall basketball prospect out of high school since RJ Barrett in 2018, Chet Holmgren has the potential to be a special type of player.

At 7 feet tall and 190 pounds, Holmgren is regarded as not only the top center in the country, but the consensus top overall player as well. Holmgren is a unique prospect as he can do everything well offensively and is no doubt the best shot blocker in the country.

Holmgren has interest from schools such as Gonzaga, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio State, and whoever gets him is truly getting a generational type of talent.

Jaden Hardy – Coronado (NV) Arguably the best offensive player in the Class of 2021, Jaden Hardy can score with ease. The top combo guard in this class, Hardy is a consensus top-5 player and has the ability to completely take over a game.

Hardy has interest from Kentucky and UCLA, among other schools, as well as interest from the NBA’s G-League. Wherever Jaden Hardy ends up, he will no doubt be a star from day one due to his offensive abilities.

Patrick Baldwin Jr. – Hamilton (WI) Regarded as the top small forward in the Class of 2021, Patrick Baldwin Jr. is a versatile athlete. At 6-foot-9 and 190 pounds, Baldwin has it all in his game and is continuing to improve his versatility on the court, which is why he is regarded as a top-5 overall player in this class.

Baldwin has interest from schools such as Duke and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where his father is the head coach.

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Southeast Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes Our Spring Banquet has been re-scheduled for June 5th, 2021. We will still have Benjamin Watson as our guest speaker. We are so excited to have him come be a part of our banquet.

Ben is a very dedicated Christian who spends his life helping others. He loves the Lord and brings a great message that everyone needs to hear. For more information on our banquet or to purchase a table, please call our office at 229245-1717.

We have two other banquets planned for the month of June. Our Berrien Banquet is scheduled for June 25th, and our Cook County Banquet is scheduled for June 26th. Sid Bream will be the quest speaker at both of these events.

Sid is the former first baseman for the Atlanta Braves. As mentioned above, for more information please call 229-245-1717.

These banquets will help Southeast Georgia FCA raise money to reach our coaches, athletes, and students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We have several Huddles that are meeting in person now at area schools. Also, several Coaches Bible Studies are being held. Coach Porter at Valdosta High School is leading a coach’s bible study going through the book of 1 Samuel. Lowndes High School is having a coach’s bible study along with the players on Wednesday and the baseball team is having a devotional on Wednesday’s as well. Brooks County has a coach’s bible study on Wednesday. Also, Tift County High School is holding a coach’s bible study on Wednesday with Fitzgerald High holding a study for their coaches on Thursday. There are several others but this is just naming a few. This is what FCA is all about.

To see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.

“Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness” 1 Timothy 6:11.

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